Japan is shifting its security diplomacy into high gear. The Iran war, the Ukraine invasion and growing uncertainty in Asia are top of mind for the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, driving their work and their Golden Week vacation plans. Foundational changes in the region and the world have obliged this country to adopt a new mindset. It is one that challenges Japan’s leaders and the nation itself, and while it demands a new approach, we have faith that they and we can rise to meet the moment.
National security has another dimension, one that concerns the economy. While many countries see this as an emerging problem set, Japan has long included it in its calculations. As it becomes a priority in national security decision-making, Tokyo is positioned to pace this effort.
Japan Times staff writer Gabriel Dominguez explained the circumstances that Japan faces and the responses that the leadership has mustered in compelling analysis this week. A regional security model that placed the United States at the center of a system of security relationships has given way to a network that more completely distributes responsibilities and roles among those same countries. In this evolution, wrote Dominguez, “Tokyo is positioning itself as a secondary connector — a strategic hub for middle-power security diplomacy that reinforces the U.S.-led order while diversifying Japan’s own security partnerships.”