Tokyo and Seoul bolstering defense efforts alleviates burden on U.S.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 18, 2023
Contact: press@defensepriorities.org

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, President Biden is hosting a trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea to deepen defense ties between Washington, Tokyo, and Seoul. Defense Priorities Director of Grand Strategy Rajan Menon issued the following statement in response:

“Forging a U.S.-Japan-South Korea coalition to balance China may be impossible. Overcoming the animus limiting Japan and South Korea’s cooperation will take not only a pressing threat from China, but an effort to shift more of the burden of balancing against it from the U.S. to Asian allies. To reduce risks to the U.S. forces in East Asia in the event that deterrence fails, Japan, which does not lack the economic and technological wherewithal, can do far more for its own defense. South Korea cannot be faulted on this score, though its focus is North Korea, not China. Japan is starting to take more responsibility for its security but overcoming the decades-long legacy of military minimalism and public sentiment against boosting defense spending will not be easy.

“Keep in mind that whatever the U.S. intent, Beijing will regard Biden’s effort as involving the creation of an East Asian NATO. That in turn raises the question of whether Beijing will be deterred or provoked. Intent and consequences often don’t match in world politics. In the unlikely event the U.S. manages to create an Asian NATO, China might increase its military ties with Russia and North Korea.”

Author

Rajan
Menon

Former Non-Resident Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities