Analysts Claim America Intends to Draw Japan and the Philippines into Surrounding China

Analysts Claim America Intends to Draw Japan and the Philippines into Surrounding China

America Pulls Japanese Military into the South China Sea Conflict

Plans to Integrate Japanese and Philippine Military Power Accelerate Stationing of Surrounding Military Bases to Surround China

On April 30th, Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihiko Noda made his first official visit to the United States. Issues regarding relocation of the military base in Futenma, Japan have created tension between the U.S. and Japan, but this visit seemed to alleviate some of the issues. After American President Obama and Prime Minister Noda’s talks, Obama expressed the U.S. and Japan’s plan to use a “joint vision” to guide the two countries’ relationship and define the Asia-Pacific region for decades to come. In fact, this so-called “joint vision” implies that America has high hopes for Japan taking on a greater responsibility for defense in the Asia-Pacific region. America wants to put Japan to use not only in East Asia, but also into the checkerboard of the South China Sea conflicts.

Influencing Japan to Build Overseas Military Bases

On April 30th, Prime Minister Noda received a warm welcome from President Obama in the White House. As the first Japanese prime minister to visit the White House since The Democratic Party of Japan came into power in 2009, Noda enjoyed special treatment. This welcome can be attributed to the “2+2” agreements reached by the United States and Japan’s foreign and defense ministers. The agreement reiterates Japan’s military and American forces’ plans for joint cooperation in defense and surveillance activities, creating a “defense posture” and combining both countries’ deterrence capabilities. According to Reuters, “This is America cozying up to their Asian companions to restrict China’s latest efforts.”*

According to a report in Nihon Keizai Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, the most recent act in creating America and Japan’s common “defense posture” will be Japanese and American military forces building joint training facilities on American-occupied Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. This will help to undergo joint surveillance and reconnaissance training and activities. This is the Japanese military’s first time going overseas to assist a foreign country in establishing a military training base. Report analysts conclude that this points to an increased island defense capability from the Japanese military, “signaling that U.S.-Japanese defense cooperation will enter a new stage.” America’s Time magazine believes this signifies the first time Japan and America will undergo joint military training on a regular basis, meaning from both sides there will be a deeper cooperation in tactical coordination and command and control systems. The likelihood of American forces and the Japanese military fighting “side by side” in the future has increased.

However, military experts commonly believe that by strengthening the U.S.-Japan security alliance, America is hoping to incorporate Japan’s military power into their tactics and turn Japan into a pawn in America’s opposition of China. From another aspect, because of drastic cuts in their budget for military expenditures, America is allowing Japan to build military bases on their own territory. From an economic standpoint, allowing Japan to share the expense of building bases allows America to substantially cut costs.

Japan Provides the Philippines with Financial Support to Strengthen Military

While visiting America, Prime Minister Noda and Obama reconfirmed the agreement to relocate U.S. forces in Japan. On April 26th, the issue of relocating U.S. forces stationed in Japan, which had caused tensions in U.S.-Japan relations for many years, achieved a “breakthrough.” According to the “2+2” agreement reached by the two countries’ foreign and defense ministers, of the currently 19,000 U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa, 9,000 will be relocated to Guam, Hawaii and Australia while the remaining 10,000 will stay in Okinawa. Regarding problems with the Futenma facility, new documents insist that relocation to Okinawa Prefecture’s protected border areas is “the only viable option.”

It is worth noting that this “late” agreement still does not incorporate Japan’s involvement with the Philippines. Japan’s Sankei Shimbun reports on April 29th, according to the plans to reorganize American troops stationed in Japan, Japan will continue to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans “for use in foreign affairs strategy.” Japan will also provide the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia with patrol boats and equipment for territorial disputes in the South China Sea with China. The report analysis suggests, “Seeing as the three countries all center around the Spratly Islands and are disputing proprietary rights with China, all while China is also taking action to strengthen their dominance in the South China Sea, it is therefore the goal to create a network to surround China.”

It should be noted that the Sankei Shimbun report is not without merit. On April 27th, while referring to aid given to Southeast Asian countries for sea equipment, the Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba hinted “If this initiative and the U.S. military security strategy/policy which attaches importance to the Asia-Pacific region can play complementary roles in relation to each other, substantial synergy effect and efficiency will be expected.” According to the report, to reach the first level of “strategic development assistance,” Japan is willing to provide four to five billion yen (approximately 50-60 million USD) for the Philippine’s troops to purchase patrol boats and communication systems.

Sankei Shimbun also reports that following the start of reorganized deployment of American troops stationed in Japan, U.S. and Japanese governments began to investigate the question of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Japanese military using the Philippines’ military training facilities; navy and air force bases located on the Philippines’ Palawan Island as well as the Luzon Island base are all possibilities. The report states that the Philippines could become a stronghold for America’s realignment strategy for troops stationed in Japan. Japan is willing to cooperate with America in their strategic intentions, because America will consider the U.S.-Japan alliance as protecting prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region’s “public property.” Also, it is believed that improving the U.S.-Japan alliance’s containment ability is a precaution to resist an initial attack from China. Allegedly, the Japanese government is currently discussing how to improve sharing expenses for the Philippines military training base. If the three countries can ultimately reach a consensus, the Philippine government will sign a formal agreement for joint military training with the U.S. and Japan.

Palawan Island and Luzon Island lie face to face with the South China Sea. America drawing in Japan and the Philippines to cooperate and use joint military bases is obviously a bargaining chip in an attempt to better compete with China, which America will then profit from. American, Japanese and Philippine military interaction will create increased instability in the South China Sea conflict. Although experts have pointed out, as the country which was defeated in World War II, various overseas activities by the Japanese military are currently still restricted by related legal provisions. The significance of Japan joining with American forces to commonly use a third country’s base has clearly been over-hyped, while the real intention is to strengthen Japanese military status.

The Philippines Military Purchases

Exchanges with America Increase Interference

On April 30th, the U.S. and the Philippines’ foreign and defense ministers held talks about the “2+2” in Washington. An important topic in this discussion was re-examining the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. One report claims that during the talks, America reiterated treaty provisions for America’s commitment to safety in the Philippines, while also re-affirming that the U.S. will support the Philippines in resolving territorial disputes with China through diplomatic channels.

According to Philippine media reports, in order to restrict China’s military power, America has already requested the opening of more military bases from the Philippines, including the use of about six Philippine civilian airports, transport planes, fighter planes, reconnaissance plane maintenance, fuel and temporary deployment. In exchange for opening these new bases, the Philippines wants America to provide the next level of equipment including a “Hamilton” grade patrol ship, an army squadron ‘s F-16 second-hand fighter planes and updated weapon systems for two previously purchased coastal patrol ships.

The Philippines spoke openly about their defense system’s dependence on America. According to a U.S. Defense News online report, during “2+2” meetings, the Philippine foreign minister Rosario directly said: “For the Philippines to be minimally relied upon as a U.S. regional partner … it therefore behooves us to resort to all possible means to build at the very least a most minimal credible defense posture [which] may however be hastened mainly through an enhancement of the activities we do together with our singular treaty (with Washington) and through a positive consideration of increased assistance that we seek at this time as well.”

Currently, there are approximately 600 American soldiers that have been deployed to Mindanao Island, in the southern part of the Philippines. Allegedly, in order to increase their military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, America wishes to at least double their armed forces in the Philippines and increase joint military exercises.

Editor’s note: The original quotation, although accurately translated, could not be verified.