How Tokyo is widening regional defence ties to complicate Beijing’s Taiwan calculus
The risk of a conflict over Taiwan is shaping Japanese defence planning, with Tokyo shoring up security at home and abroad for a potentially prolonged fight. But there are economic, demographic and political constraints on how far its military transformation can go. In the first of a three-part series, Gabriel Dominguez examines how Japan is building a network of partnerships to strengthen its…
Japan is expanding its network of defence partnerships to bolster its strategic endurance in the event of a prolonged conflict over Taiwan. This move could complicate Beijing's calculations, as the country could face not only Japan's military strength but also the support of a wider network of countries. Japan is forging ties with regional allies such as Australia and the Philippines, as well as with partners in North America and Europe.
The United States remains Japan's only treaty ally and security cornerstone, but Tokyo is seeking to complement this relationship through defence-industrial and technological partnerships. Analysts say the aim is not to create a NATO-style coalition, but to give Japan greater capacity to sustain a prolonged crisis. For Beijing, this wider network of partners could make it harder to isolate or exhaust Japan, even though European partners would likely not fight directly.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
