Korean Marines take part in joint exercises with Japanese, American, and Philippine troops in the Philippines on October 7, 2022. (US Marine Corps photo by Danny Gonzalez)

Last month the government of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who visited the White House this week, released plans that promised significant upgrades in Japan’s Self-Defense Force, which will help nullify North Korea’s mounting nuclear and missile capabilities and preserve peace, especially in the East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Strait. Writing in the South Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo, Hudson Asia-Pacific Security Chair Patrick M. Cronin explains how Japan’s new national defense strategy will benefit the Indo-Pacific region.

Key Insights

1. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is responding to growing regional threats. 

Kim Jong-un ended an unprecedented year of testing more than 100 missiles by sending drones toward Seoul and vowing a significant expansion of missile, space, and nuclear capabilities. Meanwhile, China has resorted to reckless military maneuvers to intimidate Taiwan and alter the status quo through the threat of force. Beijing’s increasing assertiveness is especially worrisome in light of its partner Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. Kishida’s modernization blueprint may be transformational, but it is linked to a rapidly changing regional security environment.

2. Japan’s military buildup will benefit South Korea.

Far from threatening to bomb the Korean Peninsula without Seoul’s approval, Japan’s attempt to add credible offense to an overly defense-weighted set of military capabilities will enhance deterrence for South Korea and Japan. For instance, the acquisition of Tomahawk cruise missiles and indigenous counterstrike capabilities will put would-be attackers on notice that aggressors will be penalized. But the plans require Tokyo and Seoul to advance security cooperation to minimize the risk of misunderstanding and maximize the potential for deterrence.

3. Seoul can further increase regional security.

The administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has embarked on a transformational strategy, as outlined in his recently released Indo-Pacific strategy. A stronger Japan will reinforce South Korea’s bid to stake its claim as a global pivotal state. Seoul should assert more influence over rising geopolitical competition rather than fixating on a North Korean regime unlikely to engage in serious diplomatic talks in the foreseeable future. Similarly, Seoul’s political will to shoulder more significant burdens for regional security will benefit Tokyo, Washington, and other like-minded actors committed to a rules-based order.

Quotes may be edited for clarity and length. 

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