Expands to the Asia-Pacific as U.S. and Japan Link Arms Against China

Jan. 11, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—The 2+2 meeting of the defense and foreign ministers of the U.S. and Japan today clearly indicated that the basis of a NATO alliance in the Asia-Pacific is being laid—and the target is Russia and the People’s Republic of China. Some of the rhetoric may fool some people, as U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken paid lip service to the “one-China” policy and both sides talked about the need to maintain good relations with China, but the crux of the discussion was to build an iron wall in the Asia-Pacific that could defend the “rules-based world order.”

Blinken called the U.S.-Japanese relationship the “cornerstone” of the strategy in facing what both parties defined as the “greatest security challenge,” namely China. Blinken also spoke of the “synergy between the Western and Eastern alliances,” remarking that Japan also helped by providing aid to Ukraine.

The two sides also noted the convenience of the new U.S. Defense Strategy and the new Japanese strategy documents coming out almost simultaneously, both of which were no doubt coordinated all along the way. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also reported the increased partnership with Australia, South Korea and the European nations as a part of Tokyo’s new security policy. Japan has been working over the last few years in cementing ties with their British friends and with other European nations in security.

Blinken also underlined the “global” nature of the cooperation, saying that the partnership was not only geared to “preserve peace and security” in the region, but also “in the world as a whole,” indeed, even in space. And space is an integral part of the relationship, with the U.S. Space Force ready to develop into the sort of “Federation forces” made famous in the Star Trek TV series. Also in space, NATO’s notorious Article V, namely coming to the defense of an Alliance country that is attacked, would also apply to an attack on an ally’s space capabilities.

There will be an upgrade of U.S. forces in Okinawa, with the added capability of anti-ship weaponry, aimed at countering any Chinese moves around Taiwan, and Japan will be granted “counterstrike capabilities,” which had been restricted up until now by the Japanese Constitution and public opinion. The pretext are the continual North Korean missile tests, but the weaponry could clearly be targeting China as well.