Global Partnership of Japan and US

Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, agreed on further enhancing bilateral relationship with United States in the summit meeting with President Biden at the White House on April 10th. Evaluating Japan-US alliance as having reached unprecedented heights, both leaders agreed on a statement titled “Global Partners for the Future,” which included “working together to build a global partnership that is fit for purpose to address the complex, interconnected challenges of today and tomorrow for the benefit of our two countries and the world.” Both leaders hope the agreement to work for their political gains. 

The main issue in the bilateral agreement was security cooperation. The leaders announced their intention to upgrade their respective command and control frameworks. Japan’s Self-defense Force is going to establish the Joint Operations Command by the end of FY 2024. Taking this opportunity, US considers giving further roles to its force in Japan, including establishment of new unit for integrated tasks or shifting some authority from Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii to Japan. The details will be discussed in the bilateral security consultative committee called “2+2”.

 

Welcoming Japan’s revision of Three Principles on the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, Biden agreed with Kishida on convening a Forum on Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition and Sustainment (DICAS). DICAS will discuss co-production of surface-to-air missiles or repair of US fighter jets and ships in Japan. With initiative of US, the statement included a consideration of Australia, United Kingdom and US, or AUKUS, to cooperate with Japan on Pillar II for advanced capability projects.

 

In economic security cooperation, the both leaders shared the necessity for enhancing supply chains, dealing with advantage of China. The leaders intended to establish a joint technology agenda for cooperation on research and development of semiconductor. The cooperation would also be made in artificial intelligence, quantum technology, critical minerals or offshore wind power generation.

 

The leaders shared a goal for a Japanese national to be the first non-American astronaut to land on the Moon on a future Artemis mission.

 

Those updates in security cooperation are based on the concerns on China’s activities in Indo-Pacific region including Taiwan straits. “We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, including destabilizing actions in the South China Sea,” noted the joint statement. Japan and US reconfirmed unwavering commitment of US to the defense of Japan under Article V of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, in which each party recognizes an armed attack in the territories under administration of Japan as the common danger to take action.

 

To stand against China works to appeal their political achievement in each domestic politics. Involved in a close race with possible Republican candidate, Donald Trump, in the Presidential election this fall, Biden stressed his achievement in enhancing the alliance with Japan, inserting the words of “Over the course of last three years,” at the top of joint statement with Kishida.

 

The statement also included Kishida’s achievement such as increasing defense budget to 2% of GDP, possessing capability of attacking enemy’s base (Japanese government calls it “retaliatory capability”), or reaffirming the commitment made in G7 Summit in Hiroshima under the chairmanship of Kishida. The global partnership of Biden and Kishida is also displayed for their domestic politics.

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