The sense of menace is growing. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has warned that the security situation around Japan is rapidly changing and that “the reality is it’s the most severe it has ever been.”
The very first sentence of the Defense of Japan 2021 white paper notes that “security challenges and destabilizing factors became more tangible and acute,” a view echoed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2021 diplomatic blue book, which begins by noting “a broadening and diversifying array of security challenges” and warns that “Today, no single country can protect its peace and security on its own.”
Fortunately, Japan does not have to. Our alliance with the United States continues to be strong, a source of reassurance to the people of Japan and a formidable deterrent to our adversaries. That relationship is the product of a commitment by both governments to their partnership, the shared values that we believe in and defend and the hard work that has been done and will continue to be demanded in the years ahead.
Today’s security environment is increasingly fraught. North Korea sharpens its military capabilities and refuses to engage in diplomacy to reduce tensions and find common ground. Meanwhile, China is pursuing a military buildup that Beijing uses to backstop its increasingly assertive diplomacy. Japan has worked on its own and with the United States for over a decade to prepare for both threats.
In recent years, however, new dangers have emerged: cyber attacks that include ransomware and hacks of critical infrastructure; threats to economic security stemming from coercion, vulnerable supply chains, or the theft of technology; disinformation campaigns that undermine democracy and our society; and, of course, pandemic diseases. Political leaders and alliance managers in both countries have been working to address these concerns, too. Our two governments have launched bilateral initiatives within the alliance to tackle these problems and they are working with other countries in multilateral forums, such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, to bring more resources to bear on these challenges.
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