Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday said that he is preparing for tough negotiations with US President Donald Trump as he seeks to maintain regional security in the Asia-Pacific. Ishiba, who is currently struggling for stability with his minority government, wants to win Trump's commitment to ensure a strong presence of American troops in the region. Japanese concerns have emerged amid reports that the US may consider a retreat from the region while China continues with its assertive posturing in the South China sea. Additionally, North Korea has also been repeatedly test-firing ballistic missiles as it advances rapidly with its nuclear and missile programs.
Ishiba has been seeking to meet Trump after his election victory in November in the US and is likely to embark on a US visit in the weeks to come. Ishiba is struggling with a minority government after a significant election loss in October as voters vented their anger against his party's financial scandals.
US is Japan's only treaty ally
Notably, the United States is Japan's only treaty ally, and Tokyo is apprehensive of the fact that Trump may place less importance on relationships in the region developed between Japan and the US under former US President Joe Biden to counter China's growing influence.
In a policy speech to parliament, Ishiba said, "With the balance of power in the region making a historic change, we must further deepen Japan-US cooperation and ensure the US commitment to the region to prevent any power vacuum from destabilizing it."
Japan faces most severe security environment: Ishiba
Ishiba has also said that his country is currently facing “the most severe and complicated security environment" since World War II, adding that Tokyo needs to bolster its own defence capabilities while also elevating the Japan-US alliance, along with expanding and deepening ties with other partners.
In addition to deepening Japan-US ties, which Tokyo has traditionally considered the cornerstone of its foreign and security policies, Ishiba wants to develop multilateral frameworks such as three-way cooperation with South Korea and the Philippines and the Quad that also includes Australia and India.
He said this week that he hopes to discuss with Trump how Japan and the United States can make “the most of each other's national interests” and contribute to global peace and economic growth.
To demonstrate his emphasis on the region, Ishiba recently visited Indonesia and Malaysia and sent Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to China, South Korea, and the Philippines. He said his policy goals also include responses to Japan's population decline, boosting stagnant salaries, reducing the national debt, and his pet project, building disaster resilience.
(With inputs from AP)
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