The new Security Strategy of Japan can be interpreted as a turning point in the defense policy of the country, as it allows for a counterattack on the aggressor’s territory. However, this document was written at a particular time: there is a war ongoing between Russia and Ukraine, tensions in the Taiwan Strait have increased, and there is no end in sight for the systemic rivalry between Washington and Beijing. Instability is on the rise in Asia: North Korea is developing its missile and nuclear programs, and above all, the power and assertiveness of China, allied with Russia, is growing. The security strategy, the first in a decade, reflects this new reality in which Tokyo must be ready to repel any aggression or to support its main ally, the United States, in a possible conflict in the Indo-Pacific – writes dr. Bruno Surdel in analysis.
