Modernising the Japan-US alliance

16 Aug 2024 | APLN

16 August 2024

This week at APLN, Hirohito Ogi surveys recent developments in the Japan-US alliance following last month’s Foreign and Defense Ministers’ (2+2) Meeting. We revisit an earlier edition of APLN Pulse on the historic US-Japan-ROK Camp David Summit, held in August last year, where experts weighed in on the implications of the trilateral summit for the Asia-Pacific.

As always, we share recent activities from our network, including analysis on Indonesia’s defence partnerships, climate security in Southeast Asia, China’s changing nuclear policy, and more.

Enhancing the Shield and the Spear: Understanding Recent Developments in the Japan-US Alliance

Hirohito Ogi writes on the recent efforts to modernise the Japan-US alliance, arguing that they signify a shift from coordination to integration. He explains that the alliance has historically served a dual purpose, defending Japan and maintaining peace and security in Northeast Asia. The recent developments reflect both countries’ commitment to adapting to the evolving security challenges in the region.

Read the commentary

What Does the US-Japan-South Korea Summit at Camp David Mean for the Asia-Pacific?

Last year’s Camp David Summit marked a significant milestone in the partnership between Japan, South Korea, and the US, with commitments to closer trilateral diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation. In this APLN Pulse, we feature expert analysis from Sayo Saruta, Eunil Cho, and Frank O’Donnell on the summit’s impact on regional security issues, the legitimacy of China’s concerns about a ‘mini NATO’ in East Asia, and the steps needed to maintain and enhance this cooperative momentum.

Read the Pulse

APLN has over 150 members from 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
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to global and regional security debates.

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A National Interest for Whom? Rethinking the Foundations of War, Peace, and Democracy

Van Jackson, APLN Senior Research Adviser, will give a lecture at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs on August 29th. He will discuss how examining the contradictions in the concept of national interest and reassessing some of the most cherished strategic constructs in international security studies can serve as a starting point for constructing more durable forms of security.

China Floats Submarine Offer to Indonesia as Geopolitical Calculations Weigh

Natalie Sambhi, Executive Director of Verve Research, was quoted in South China Morning Post. She observed that Indonesian defense and military leaders tend to prefer advanced American and European weaponry despite the higher costs and also discussed how Indonesia might be evaluating China’s offer of diesel electric submarines.

Japan-US Security Alliance System Re-Set – Analysis

Rajaram Panda, former Senior Fellow at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, writes on the Japan-US alliance and highlights challenges like increased defence spending and potential shifts in US policy after the presidential election, which could affect the alliance’s future stability.

Climate Security in Southeast Asia: Navigating Concepts, Approaches and Practices

Mely Caballero-Anthony, Professor of International Relations at Nanyang Technological University, published a paper in Third World Quarterly on the concept of climate security and argued that ASEAN’s reservations about invoking the language of security on climate change are underpinned by concerns about sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs.

What Do We Know About China’s Decision Process for the Use of Nuclear Weapons?

Tong Zhao, Senior Fellow at the Nuclear Policy Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was featured in the podcast The Global Agora, where he spoke about China’s decision process for the use of nuclear weapons and the potential cooperation between China and Russia in nuclear weapons development.

India Must Knit Its Neighbours Together in a Web of Interdependencies to Pursue Its Global Ambitions

Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary of India, writes for The Week and argues that to counter China’s ambition to dominate Asia, India must lead in regional economic integration in South Asia and ensure it is fully represented in negotiating forums to uphold its interests.

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