Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently stated in the Diet that Japan will build a strike capability that "does not rely entirely on the United States."

(Associated Press)

[Compiled Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report] "Voice of America" ​​(VOA) reported on the 5th that in response to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's statement in the Diet recently that he would build a strike capability that "does not rely entirely on the United States", Japanese scholars believe that strengthening self-defense is the key to Japan's defense. There is a consensus between the ruling and opposition parties, and China is the biggest driving force behind Japan's transformation.

Fumio Kishida told the Senate Budget Committee on the 1st that the division of responsibilities between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces as the "shield" and the U.S. military as the "spear" may change.

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In this regard, Shin Takai, the former director of the research office of the Japan Defense Research Institute and director of the Japan Security Strategy Research Institute, believes that Japan has gradually broken away from its high dependence on the US military and moved towards higher defense autonomy. The proximate cause is naturally the impact of the Ukrainian-Russian War. Considering China's possible response, Japan has learned the lesson that it must have the ability to defend itself.

Takai Jin went on to explain that China has almost no criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, because China fundamentally believes that if Putin seizes Ukrainian territory in this way, and other countries in the world do not fight back much, then China will seize the territory they claim to be sovereign. Taiwan is even more logical.

Once China launches an attack on Taiwan, Japan will be the most dangerous. At that time, the Self-Defense Forces will not only need to support the U.S. troops stationed in Japan who sent troops to protect Taiwan, but also defend Japan’s territory from the flames of war. They should have a higher counterattack capability, so that China will not dare to take it easy. Start a war.

Xie Wensheng, an expert on Japan-China relations and executive director of the Taiwan Oasis Culture and Education Foundation, said that the "Indo-Pacific Strategy" proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the day before can be used as the starting point for Japan's defense strategy to develop independently.

Abe once pointed out that the toughness shown by Ukraine and the change in the attitude of the international community towards Ukraine have greatly stimulated Japan, making the Japanese people realize that "only countries that show their willingness to save themselves can receive assistance from other countries." , and then seriously review the substantial improvement of self-defense capabilities.

Xie Wensheng believes that Japan has been worried for a long time, in case "something happens to Japan", how much will the United States show its determination to defend Japan?

But after the Ukrainian-Russian War, Japan's ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, decided that instead of guessing whether or how much the United States would do to defend Japan, it would be better to "self-reliance and self-help."

The biggest driving force behind this change is undoubtedly China, which is trying to change the status quo in East Asia by force.

Takai Jin further mentioned that with the rapid rise of tension around Japan, public opinion will not allow opposition parties to oppose the strengthening of defense policies, especially China has frequently invaded the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyutai Islands) and Taiwan. Waiting for other countries to be unable to support in time, is it enough for Japan to defend its homeland on its own?

He believes that if the opposition party opposes strengthening Japan's defense strategy and defense construction, it will lose public support sooner or later.

Shin Takai said bluntly that the Kishida cabinet clearly expressed its opposition to changing the status quo by force this time, and implemented it in the budget, which can be said to send a message to China, that is, Japan will stand up with its own strength and no longer rely entirely on the United States to resist China. threaten.