January 25, 2025

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru repeated twice in his policy speech delivered on January 24 that he would “raise the Japan-U.S. alliance to new heights.” It was as if he was declaring that he would submit to U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands and proceed to further military expansion.

The U.S. Trump administration intends to strengthen its anti-China network with its allies and pressure them, including Japan, into increasing their arms spending. Last year, Elbridge Colby, the administration’s nominee for undersecretary of defense, argued that Japan should spend around 3% GDP (about 16-17 trillion yen per year) on defense.

Instead of firmly confronting this argument, PM Ishiba said, “The Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of Japan’s foreign and security policies. We must continue to ensure the U.S. commitment to the region.” He said that Japan “must share responsibility as a U.S. ally and play an appropriate role,” and expressed his intent to boost military spending as sought by the United States.

Russia’s repeated threats to use its nuclear weapons are increasing the risk of an accidental use of nuclear weapons. Against this backdrop, the international community is counting on a diplomatic effort by Japan, the only A-bombed country in the world. However, PM Ishiba in his address did not even mention either the awarding of the Novel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo or the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

He stated that he would work to deepen cooperation with Japan’s allies and “like-minded countries” under the U.S. leadership. His speech made it clear that he himself has no policy to resolve armed conflicts such as ones in Ukraine and Gaza through diplomatic efforts, while following the U.S. in accelerating the division and confrontations between countries.

Regarding the Henoko base project, PM Ishiba boasted that “great progress has been made” with the start of soft-ground improvement work which is part of the reclamation work off Nago City’s Henoko district, Okinawa, for the construction of a new state-of-the-art U.S. military base. He stated that he “would continue working to ensure that the construction moves ahead steadily,” ungloving his iron fist in complete disregard of Okinawans’ demands and Okinawa’s supposed local autonomy.