No Asian NATO in Sight

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.