Biden and Kishida: the danger of drawing Tokyo into a violent confrontation with China
Japan is strengthening ties with the United States. However, the editorial board of the Asahi Shimbun warns of the danger of its being drawn into a violent confrontation with China and Russia. It is necessary to draw important lessons from the situation in Europe and create a mechanism that will avoid an "accidental military conflict".
There is no doubt that China's foreign policy, which continues to covertly strengthen its armed forces and challenges the existing world order, is causing tension in the region.
However, peace and stability cannot be maintained only by forcefully intensifying confrontation and destroying the necessary interconnections between Japan and China under the pretext of ensuring our economic security. The task of Japan, which is a neighboring country with China, is to seek ways to coexist with it through dialogue and confidence-building efforts, while providing the necessary counteraction to the unnecessarily offensive position of the United States.
US President Joe Biden has just completed his official visit to Japan and held his first personal meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. In a joint statement following the summit, both sides sharply criticized Russia's military special operation in Ukraine. They advocated the promotion of the concept of a "free and open Indo-Pacific region", stating that Europe is not the only place in the world where the international order based on existing rules and norms is being tested.
While European security has become the center of international politics today, one can positively assess the desire of the United States to actively participate in maintaining stability in Asia. However, it is impossible not to see the dangers here. This was clearly shown by President Biden's statements on the Taiwan issue at a joint press conference.
The joint Japanese-American statement confirms "the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait" and calls for a "peaceful solution" to the Taiwan problem. At a press conference, in response to questions put to him, President Biden twice confirmed that in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the United States would participate in the defense of the island.
Successive previous US administrations have used an "ambiguity strategy" that has not clarified their position, prevented them from making clear statements on China and Taiwan and taking bold actions against the latter. Although the joint Japanese-American statement says that "the fundamental positions of both countries regarding Taiwan have not changed," the statements of the parties are perceived as a shift in their traditional policy. How far will the consequences of these statements go and what will they mean in practice?
Both leaders agreed to strengthen the deterrent power of the Japanese-American alliance. The Prime minister said he did not rule out "all options" and said that Japan would consider attacking enemy military bases and was "ready to significantly increase its defense spending." He also announced Japan's readiness to participate in the new "Indo-Pacific Economic Structure" (IPEF), which Tokyo Biden called for.
Although the Russian military special operation in Ukraine does not have legitimacy, but if the West, and above all, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), had managed to create a security structure in Europe with Russia's participation in due time, it is quite possible that the development of events here would have received a different direction. This is what can happen to security if the two opposing sides do not take into account each other's interests, are only engaged in strengthening their zones of influence and tend to force confrontation. Japan should learn important lessons from what is happening in Europe now.
We are talking about the need to resume the collapsing dialogue at the highest level before our eyes. About the hasty creation of a communication mechanism on the situation at sea and in the air in order to avoid an accidental military conflict.
Even if we assume that the Japanese-American military alliance remains a cornerstone for us, we in Japan need to steadily improve our defense capabilities. We cannot just follow in the wake of the United States, but should pursue our own subjective policy towards China.
Editorial article
Readers' comments
umi_tweet
We should not get involved in a violent confrontation with China. This will come out sideways for us.
And the statement that the Japanese-American summit meeting "became a great success" only makes me smile.
ISOKO_MOCHIZUKI
This Japanese-American summit only shows that we have learned nothing from the example of Ukraine.
This is what can happen to security if the two opposing sides do not take into account each other's interests, are only engaged in strengthening their zones of influence and tend to force confrontation.
gab_what
So what follows from all this? Yes, only that Messrs. Biden and Kishida want to support the military-industrial complexes of their countries!
Isn't it a mistake to scatter burning coals in the wind?
s8t8r9n0
"Even if we assume that the Japanese-American military alliance remains a cornerstone for us, we in Japan need to steadily improve our defense capabilities. We cannot just follow in the wake of the United States, but should pursue our own subjective policy towards China."
Here "Asahi shimbun" is absolutely right www.
Today the weather is good www.
xyz_soken
"Asahi Shimbun," stop repeating that "the US clearly states that it will take part in the Taiwan conflict if it arises."
We need a dialogue.
After all, the conflict in Ukraine arose due to the fact that NATO was continuously expanding to the East, without taking into account Russia's security interests!
youphi1
What is needed is not a local discussion about banning nuclear weapons or strengthening the Japanese-American alliance, but a big policy to prevent wars within humanity!
changtewon
Does China value trusting relations with Japan and the United States?
These are double standards, according to which the Asahi Shimbun always scolds only cooperation between Japan and the United States. And this gives China an advantage.
We need a reliable way to prevent an invasion from China and Russia, which respect war and ignore diplomacy.
The Asahi Shimbun and the left wing of Japan oppose Japan's strengthening of deterrence forces and amendments to the constitution.
So who is the "Asahi Shimbun" then? Just idiots or allies of our potential enemies?
mikawa_1964
I want to emphasize this in particular: "Although the Russian military special operation in Ukraine does not have legitimacy, but if the West, and above all, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), had managed to create a security structure in Europe with Russia's participation, it is quite possible that the development of events here would have received a different direction."
