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Opinion | Why Japan is seeking to boost regional deterrence with the US and South Korea
- Despite the announcement of the Camp David principles, more needs to be done to mend ties between Tokyo and Seoul
- Nevertheless, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is clearly convinced that bolstering the country’s defence capabilities is necessary both for security and the economy
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
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US President Joe Biden’s triumphant announcement of the Camp David principles with South Korea and Japan on August 18 could be a flimsy facade because the next leader of each country could erase them with no qualms.
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In South Korea, the issue of “comfort women” and people conscripted into forced labour remains alive. Meanwhile, some South Korean presidents have disappointed Japan by failing to fulfil promises over the years. The two nations need help to resolve these issues.
Despite 13 rounds of trilateral defence dialogue since 1994, no productive agreement has been reached. The 2018 incident, in which a South Korean destroyer directed its weapons targeting system at a Japanese maritime patrol plane, caused a lack of trust between the two militaries. Their sentiment is far removed from that of political leaders keen to tout their accomplishments.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is not concerned about Biden’s intentions, though, as he sees an opportunity to demonstrate Japan’s increased involvement in defence with the United States.
The idea of a trilateral summit was initiated during a two-minute exchange at the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May. At the summit, G7 leaders endorsed the Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament, committing to achieving a world without nuclear weapons.
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Kishida believes Japan must attain defence capabilities through the consent of the people, who oppose nuclear weapons and view war as immoral. As such, he has aligned with Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukraine conflict.
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