It is possible to say that the Asia-Pacific Region is a region that is at the center of global influence struggles. As a matter of fact, the region in question is the region where the rivalry between the West, the United States of America (USA), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and China, which aims to compete with the rules-based international order and oppose the US hegemony, is felt most clearly and concretely. In this context, the USA also consolidates actors such as Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia against China.
At this point, it can be said that Japan is one of the most prominent states in terms of being the third largest economy in the world,[1] its geopolitical and geostrategic position and its rising military power. Because Japan is the most influential actor in the region after China. At the same time, Tokyo’s foreign policy has recently become increasingly proactive, military and defense spending and also and the number of security-based agreements it has established with Western states has been increasing.
One of the most important indicators of the situation in question is Japan’s participation in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member by 2023.[2] In this context, it is noteworthy that the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, said that Japan will aim to advance the reforms by aiming to increase the functionality of the United Nations (UN).[3] Moreover, the fact that the G7 Summit will be held in Hiroshima and Japan will assume the G7 Presidency for 2023[4] is an important example of Tokyo’s rising and assertive foreign policy.
As a matter of fact, all these situations have made Japan a state that has increased its influence both regionally and globally. It can be argued that these developments have put Tokyo at a key point in the competition between Washington and Beijing in the eyes of the West, especially in a regional sense. Because the news that NATO is planning to open a liaison office in Japan in order to provide stronger and more effective coordination with the states with which it cooperates in the Asia-Pacific Region such as Australia, South Korea and New Zealand[5] proves the importance of Japan in the eyes of the United States and NATO.
It has been reported that the said plan emerged with the aim of enhancing cooperation between NATO and Japan in the fight against cyber threats, disinformation and destructive technologies.[6] According to the emerging information, the NATO office in question will be of an unprecedented type and will allow the alliance to consult periodically, especially with Australia and Japan.[7] In this context, NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu refused to give details on the issue; but she said:[8]
“The process is regularly reviewed to ensure it best serves the needs of both NATO and its partners. None of NATO’s partners is more capable or closer to NATO than Japan. We share the same values, interests and concerns in supporting Japan and Ukraine and in addressing the security challenges posed by authoritarian regimes. In this way, our partnership is strengthened”
The statement in question reveals how important and key ally Japan is to NATO after the G7 and the UNSC. As a matter of fact, the aforementioned statement shows that the West wants to position Japan as the main actor in the geopolitical struggle to be carried out at the point of the containment of China and the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. In other words, it can be argued that the USA and NATO see Tokyo as a base for opposition to Pyongyang and Beijing and plan to carry out the struggle against these actors in a Japan-centered manner.
On the other hand, the competition in the region should be examined through North Korea and especially China. First of all, from the point of view of North Korea, it can be said that the existence of Pyongyang and its nuclear power create a legitimate basis for the anti-Chinese actions to be carried out in the region, and therefore it is beneficial for the West. Because North Korea creates a huge security problem, and this danger creates a suitable basis for the actions of the USA and NATO over the opposition to Beijing. However, this move of NATO will not have any deterrent effect on Pyongyang; On the contrary, it can be stated that it will create an even more provocative situation by creating security concerns, thus deepening the security dilemma in the region by causing North Korea to accelerate its nuclear activities.
In an evaluation to be made over China, it can be claimed that Beijing will be the actor that will be most disturbed by the situation in the region. This discomfort can be evaluated from two aspects. The first is a global struggle for influence between the US and China. Because while there is such a struggle and Washington is trying to increase the pressure on Beijing through Taiwan and the South China Sea by surrounding China with various alliances in the Asia-Pacific, it can be said that this move of NATO will create a very serious security concern for China. This could be countered by China’s rapid increase in its military capacity.
Moreover, although it is not called an enlargement in the full sense, this move of NATO may cause China to accelerate its plans on Taiwan, just as in the example of the Russia-Ukraine War. On the other hand, Beijing’s failure to respond to developments in the region in the form of the use or increase of hard power may cause the West to export the perception of China as an “unbalanced actor” to the global public.
The second assessment of China’s discomfort can be read as NATO’s making this move specifically through Japan. After Beijing, the most powerful actor in the region is Tokyo. At the same time, Japan is the world’s largest economy after China. For all these reasons, it can be said that Beijing’s biggest rival in the region and the biggest regional threat to China is Tokyo.
Moreover, there are historical problems between Japan and China due to both the past Japanese occupation and the Senkaku Islands. When all these issues are evaluated, the fact that NATO’s move in question through Japan can be considered as another issue of discomfort for China.
As a result, it can be stated that while the Asia-Pacific Region is already a region where fault lines of global security pass, this move of NATO will increase polarization in the region and accelerate geopolitical ruptures.
[1] “How Japan Become the Third Largest Economy in the World Japanese Economic Miracle From the 1950s to 1990s”, Data Driven Investor, https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/how-japan-become-the-third-largest-economy-in-the-world-ba28f6ea0dc7, (Date of Accession: 05.05.2023).
[2] “Japan to be Tested as Nonpermanent U.N.Security Council Member”, The Japan Times, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/01/02/national/politics-diplomacy/japan-un-security-council-tested/, (Date of Accession: 05.05.2023).
[3] “Japan’s Foreign Policy to be Tested by China, Russia as Non – Permanent UN Security Council Member”, South China Morning Post, https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3205412/japans-foreign-policy-be-tested-china-russia-non-permanent-un-security-council-member, (Date of Accession: 05.05.2023).
[4] “Japan, UK Sign ‘Hugely Significant’ Defence Deal”, Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/12/japan-uk-sign-hugely-significant-new-defence-deal, (Date of Accession: 01.04.2023).
[5] “NATO Planning to Open Japan Office to Deepen Asia – Pacific Ties – Report”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/03/nato-planning-to-open-japan-office-to-deepen-asia-pacific-ties-report, (Date of Accession: 05.05.2023).
[6] “NATO to Open Japan Office, Deepening Indo – Pacific Engagement, Nıkkei Asia, https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/NATO-to-open-Japan-office-deepening-Indo-Pacific-engagement, (Date of Accession: 05.05.2023).
[7] “NATO Planning to Open Japan Office to Deepen Asia – Pacific Ties – Report”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/03/nato-planning-to-open-japan-office-to-deepen-asia-pacific-ties-report, (Date of Accession: 05.05.2023).
[8] Ibid.
