As Japan’s ‘Asian Nato’ push to counter China hits a brick wall, will a rebrand revive it?

Shigeru Ishiba’s call for a Nato-like alliance looks dead in the water without US support. But analysts say it could still make a comeback

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Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba shakes hands with US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel (left) in Tokyo on Thursday. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 8:30am, 6 Oct 2024

Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is making waves with his support for a Nato-like alliance in Asia, to be anchored by the United States. While Washington has dismissed the idea, analysts suggest it could spark fresh debate on regional security.

As a self-described “military geek”, the new Japanese leader is expected to bolster Japan’s defence capabilities and introduce innovative security strategies.

“Ishiba will invest more in minilateral partnerships to provide focused security and other forms of cooperation,” said Stephen Nagy, an international-relations professor at Tokyo’s International Christian University.

Though an Asian Nato might seem unrealistic and unwelcome in the region, Nagy said he believes that merely “floating the idea may result in creative thinking about what kind of security infrastructure is needed”.

Ishiba ascended to the premiership on Tuesday, succeeding Fumio Kishida as Japan’s prime minister after being elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) the week before.

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Japan’s ruling LDP picks Shigeru Ishiba as successor to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

He suggested revamping Japan’s alliance with the US by establishing an “Asian Nato” in a paper submitted to the Hudson Institute last month – even proposing stationing Japanese troops on American soil to deter Chinese military aggression.