No Asian NATO in Sight

Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 11 April 2024
by Peter Sturm (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Mallory Matsumoto. Edited by Patricia Simoni.
Worries about China are among the few issues that are not controversial in Japan. For that reason, the alliance with the U.S. is stable.

The pomp with which the visit from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was received in Washington demonstrates how great the Americans’ interest is in Japan, even though it is still considered an economic rival. Of course, the talks between Kishida and President Joe Biden were about China, above all, and that country’s increasingly aggressive behavior.

Worries about Beijing are among the few issues that do not raise any serious opposition at home in Japan right now. For that reason, the alliance between Tokyo and Washington can be described as stable, even though Kishida is not exactly shining at home, as apparent from rather dismal polling numbers.

Clear Signal to China

Japan wants to and should become stronger militarily, which includes intensifying international cooperation. Long-time Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had already started down that path, against many reservations at home. It is unknown how close cooperation will be with like-minded countries like Australia and other nations in the region and beyond. In any case, there is no Asian NATO in sight.

That may somewhat calm Beijing, which is raging everywhere against anti-Chinese conspiracies led by the Americans. But Kishida and Biden should both use every opportunity to make clear to Chinese leadership that its policies are steadily increasing the ranks of its potential opponents.


Keine asiatische NATO in Sicht
Die Sorge vor China gehört zu den wenigen Themen, die in Japan nicht umstritten sind. Deshalb ist die Allianz mit Amerika stabil.

Der Pomp, mit dem der Besuch des japanischen Ministerpräsidenten Fumio Kishida in Washington inszeniert wurde, zeigt, wie stark das Interesse der Amerikaner an Japan ist, obwohl das Land weiterhin auch als wirtschaftlicher Rivale gilt. Natürlich ging es bei den Gesprächen zwischen Kishida und Präsident Joe Biden vor allem um China und dessen zunehmend aggressives Auftreten.
Die Sorge vor Peking gehört zu den wenigen Themen, die innenpolitisch in Japan zur Zeit nicht ernsthaft umstritten sind. Deshalb darf man die Allianz Tokio-Washington stabil nennen, obwohl Kishida zu Hause nicht gerade glänzend dasteht, was sich in ziemlich niederschmetternden Umfrageergebnissen niederschlägt.
Klare Signale gegenüber China
Japan will und soll militärisch stärker werden und dazu auch die internationale Zusammenarbeit intensivieren. Diesen Weg hatte schon der langjährige Ministerpräsident Shinzo Abe gegen vielfältige Bedenken innerhalb des Landes beschritten. Wie eng die Kooperation mit Gleichgesinnten wie Australien und anderen Staaten in der Region und darüber hinaus wird, ist ungewiss. Eine asiatische NATO jedenfalls ist nicht in Sicht.
Das mag Peking, das überall antichinesische Verschwörungen unter amerikanischer Führung wittert, vielleicht ein wenig beruhigen. Aber sowohl Kishida als auch Biden sollten jede Gelegenheit nutzen, Chinas Führung klarzumachen, dass sie durch ihre Politik die Zahl potentieller Gegner stetig vermehrt.
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