The comments made by Mark Milley on July 14, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during his visit to Japan shed light on the United States' perspective on the security situation in northeast Asia. Milley emphasised the importance of Japan's commitment to increasing its defence spending and strengthening its military capabilities in order to address the rising threats posed by North Korea and China.
He highlighted the need for improvements in cruise missile defence, early warning missile systems, and air capabilities, all of which would contribute to countering North Korea's nuclear missile program and China's aggression towards Taiwan.
Milley expressed concerns about China's ambitions to become the regional hegemon in Asia within the next decade or so. He emphasised the potential instability and danger posed by such aspirations and stressed that a powerful and militarily capable Japan, with a close alliance with the United States and other countries, would play a crucial role in deterring war.
The U.S. military's explicit analysis of the security situation underscores the growing worries about the possibility of conflict in the region. With a significant U.S. military presence in Japan and South Korea and increasing military activities by North Korea and China, Washington has been urging its allies to enhance their defence capabilities.
Japan's record defence budget for the coming fiscal year and its commitment to a five-year military spending plan reflect its recognition of the need for a stronger military in the face of regional security challenges. The budget includes provisions for deploying U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles and meets NATO standards. The long-term goal is to push Japan's annual defence budget to approximately 10 trillion yen, making it the world's third-largest defence spender after the United States and China.
Milley also highlighted the need to accelerate U.S. military assistance to Taiwan, emphasising the importance of Taiwan's capability to defend itself as a deterrent against any potential aggression from China.
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