Japan Must Begin A Process Of Strategic Decoupling From America

2025-04-15 07:02:16

(MENAFN- Asia Times) The geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically over the past five years. America's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 followed by its deepening entanglement in the Ukraine war – now widely understood as a grinding proxy conflict between NATO and Russia – laid bare the limits of US power.

In the Middle East, Washington has struggled to rein in crises involving the Houthis, Iran and Syria, while continuing to underwrite Israel's genocide in Gaza. In East Asia, its commitments are increasingly strained by a rising China and a more assertive North Korea. At home, inflation, border insecurity, and social fragmentation have all contributed to the growing sense that American primacy – both global and domestic – is faltering.

No country stands to be more affected by America's relative decline than Japan. Since the end of World War II, Japan has remained tethered to Washington – militarily, politically, even psychologically. Its defense is largely outsourced; its politics, heavily influenced by American interests. Its media class repeats Washington talking points verbatim.

As Washington stumbles, the postwar establishment in Japan has stumbled, too, clearly unable to envision a world in which Washington is no longer supreme.

But that post-Washington world is coming quickly, and is in many ways has already arrived. If Japan is to prepare for the rapidly emerging multipolar world, it must begin a process of strategic decoupling from America. This does not mean a reckless severance of ties overnight, but a clear-eyed and deliberate effort to reassert autonomy in key areas of diplomacy, military and economics.

First, Japan should consider initiating dialogues with leaders and entities typically seen as unaligned with the so-called Washington-led liberal international order. Such meetings would signal Japan's intent to diversify its diplomatic options but also serve as pragmatic steps toward resolving longstanding regional challenges.

Japanese officials could, for instance, quietly open communication channels with North Korea. A key objective would be the resolution of the abductee issue – a humanitarian matter that has lingered unresolved for decades.

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