US cites Japan's increased contacts with Indo-Pacific nations

The US has cited Japan’s increased contacts with the Philippines, South Korea and Australia and working with the partners in the region, as Tokyo takes leadership roles in protecting global security.

- PIA LEE-BRAGO

“Japan is growing and taking leadership roles that not only benefit people in the Indo-Pacific, but the global community,” said Grace Park, director for Japan policy at the US Defense Department’s Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Office, during the “Japan in the Year 2024” symposium at Washington-based nonpartisan think tank Wilson Center on Friday.

Japan, the fourth largest economy in the world, has taken a greater security role in the past decade, Park said.

“Japanese leaders are reorganizing the self-defense forces in the country, fielding new military capabilities, increasing the amount spent on self-defense and more. I believe that the United States has gained a lot from this alliance relationship,” she said.

Park said it is tough to speak of the security environment without including the effects of the economy, diplomacy and monetary policy and more.

For the Defense Department, Park noted the alliance involves three pillars: modernizing roles and missions and capabilities of the alliance, optimizing force posture within the region and the multilateral networking of alliances, and applying these pillars to the challenges in the world is key.