Details Essential for Reforms to Japan-America Defense Guidelines

It’s clear we need to reform the alliance between Japan and America to combat new threats. However, because the fundamental details of these reforms have mostly been undefined, it’s unclear exactly what needs to change and how it should be done.

This is the gist of the impression I’m getting from the interim report the two governments published. The report contains guidelines for the reformation of their defense cooperation agreement, with a deadline set for the end of the year, which is just a little less than three months away. As such, I’d like for the Japanese to hasten their talks with the Americans and work out the details as quickly as possible.

A big feature of the report was its goal of creating a structure where the two governments could cooperate without restraint.

The current guidelines split Japan’s circumstances into three classifications: peacetime, emergency, and a middle ground called “situations in areas surrounding Japan”; and established various levels of cooperation for each one. According to the interim report, the two governments want to remove these classifications and create a new plan where cooperation between them cannot be interrupted no matter how the situation may change.

This is a logical route. Japan is not in a state of emergency, but it’s not in peacetime either. Rather, it’s in a “gray zone,” where it’s in increasing danger of undergoing a crisis. The mounting tension in the Senkaku Islands is one such example. Like cyberterrorism and large-scale terrorism, the situation there could lead to trouble in an instant.

It was decided that new guidelines for cooperation should be specified in the likely event Japan has to exercise its right to collective self-defense. One could say the decision was a natural one. The main point of Japan reviewing its constitutional interpretation and working to exercise its rights was, in the first place, to strengthen the cooperation between Japan and America.

However, there are many causes of concern. If Japan exercises its right to collective self-defense, exactly what and how much will it bear? The interim report has not mentioned any concrete plans.

There’s also talk that Japan cannot enter any talks with America because of certain regulatory trouble within the administration and governing party. If this is the case, then we have our priorities mixed up. So long as we don’t know what America considers important, everything will be no more than just an armchair theory no matter how much discussion advances within our own country.

For the sake of global peace and security, Japan and America must set down a new pillar of cooperation. However, if in times of war, in which mines are blockaded in high oil importation locations such as the Strait of Hormuz, will Japan forego this cooperation? It’s necessary that we address these situations with America.

With threats to Japanese-American cooperation increasing globally and online, the time is now or never. There are already serious threats to businesses online. I would like, without a doubt, for Japan and America to form an effective plan of cooperation.