The US-Japan Alliance: The Bedrock of Peace and Stability in a Volatile World

Continuing global uncertainty, exacerbated by the intensifying Ukraine situation, has illustrated the full importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and the necessity for Japan to continue playing an active role in protecting democracy and the rule of law on the global stage.

In his book The History of US-Japan Relations: From Perry to the Present, Makoto Iokibe points out just how important the bilateral relationship is. By bringing an end to Japan’s isolationism in 1853, Commodore Perry set in motion 170 years of U.S.-Japan relations, culminating today in what Iokibe calls “the most important partnership for the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world.” Indeed, recent events have proven his views.

“Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine is an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force. It is an act that undermines the very foundation of not Europe alone, but rather the entire international order, including Asia.” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared at a recent press conference. “Japan will unite with the international community as a whole in taking resolute actions.”

Japan has fortified its stance by joining the U.S. and European nations in sanctioning Russia through various means, such as freezing assets, banning exports of high-tech goods and excluding some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payments network, while also providing Ukraine with over $100 million in grants and an additional $100 million in loans, and offering refuge to Ukrainians fleeing the war.

“We’ve seen Japan step up its efforts with sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine, and it needs to maintain this proactive stance,” says Tosh Minohara, professor of U.S.-Japan relations at the Graduate School of Law and Politics at Kobe University, Chairman of the Research Institute for Indo-Pacific Affairs (RIIPA) and co-editor of the aforementioned book. In a recent webinar, 70 Years Strong: The US-Japan Alliance and Its Implications for Asian Diplomacy, he mentioned that he would like to see more of this. “Japan is starting to act like the third largest economy and continues to strive to remain relevant in the security scheme.”

Japan’s contribution to peace and stability applies, of course, not only to Eastern Europe, but also to the Indo-Pacific region. In a virtual meeting held by the leaders of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India (the Quad), Kishida stated that the nations should not “allow any unilateral change to the status quo by force in the region” and reinforced the need to step up efforts to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Less than one year on the job, Kishida has already taken key diplomatic steps to further strengthen Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy. In January, Japan and Australia agreed to facilitate mutual access and cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Australian Defence Force. More recently, Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) promised to join hands to enhance economic stability and cooperation on security-related issues. What’s more, since President Joe Biden took office, Japan has held “two-plus-two” talks, meetings where nations discuss foreign policy and defense issues, with the U.K., Indonesia, Germany, Australia, India and twice with the U.S.

Kent Calder, Vice Dean for Education and Academic Affairs and Director of the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies highlighted in the webinar the importance of being diplomatic savvy, especially in dire times. “To have someone in leadership with diplomatic experience, like President Biden, of course, but also Prime Minister Kishida was foreign minister for many years, and having a sensitivity to diplomacy and its importance in this volatile world, is absolutely crucial,” he noted.

The two leaders are playing central roles to the stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S., for its part, has also signaled a strong commitment to the alliance. In the webinar, David Shear, former Principle Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, notes, ”the Biden administration demonstrated the importance of the Pacific in sending Secretary of State Blinken to the region and in issuing the Indo-Pacific Strategy in the midst of the Ukraine crisis. I don’t doubt the administration’s commitment to pay more attention to Asia.”

Asia has been the growth center of the world and Japan has been a key player in developing and maintaining its economic success. Upholding peace and stability in the region will surely benefit every corner of the world and the U.S.-Japan Alliance has been paramount for this. The new U.S. ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, characterized the relationship between the U.S. and Japan as the “bedrock” underpinning further alliances with like-minded nations who share a commitment to promoting universal values and inclusive economic prosperity.

Navigating the increasingly complex geopolitical landscape requires solid alliances of assertive partners. As the world adapts to this new diplomatic playing field, the values that the U.S.-Japan Alliance are built upon will contribute to further peace and stability.

Note: This piece is a summary of the webinar 70 Years Strong: The US-Japan Alliance and Its Implications for Asian Diplomacy held on February 25, 2022.