Australia and Japan face similar dilemma: How to be indispensable to U.S. without relying on it |
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Australia this week comes against a turbulent geopolitical backdrop. The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran – and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz – have put energy issues at the top of the agenda.
The war has also weakened the United States’ strategic position in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. has had to divert crucial assets from the region to the Middle East, such as the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Japan. There are also concerns about U.S. missile stockpiles, as well as the overall attention of the Trump administration on the region.
As two of the most important U.S. allies in the region, both countries see U.S. military presence as essential to their defense strategies and have been vigilant in countering China’s coercive actions.
Now, however, policymakers in both Tokyo and Canberra are wondering if the US will return to the old status quo after Trump’s departure, or if this is a sign of a bigger shift to a new American grand strategy.
Why is the Australia-Japan relationship so important?
Amid growing uncertainty, predictable partnerships have taken on greater value.
The Australia–Japan relationship has steadily deepened in recent decades, particularly in strategic and defence partnerships. This is exemplified by the contract that Australia signed last month with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to buy 11 next-generation frigates.
Takaichi’s visit is also being framed around the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries. But the real importance lies in what comes next and how far the alignment between the two........