Trump's Big Opportunity in Japan
Japan undergirds U.S. power in the Pacific. It has one of the world's largest economies—$4 trillion a year in output, some 27% of which is manufacturing. It spends $70 billion on defense, a figure that has nearly doubled since 2022 as Tokyo grapples with Beijing's growing capabilities and ambitions. Japanese companies lead the world in critical industries from robotics to material sciences and semiconductor equipment. And Japan hosts more U.S. servicemembers than any other nation. America, in turn, hosts a Japanese national treasure—Dodgers slugger and three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani.
The partnership is thriving. Take it from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba: 'The Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy and security.' When visiting Iwo Jima in March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed: 'Our alliance has been, and remains the cornerstone of freedom, prosperity, security and peace in the Indo-Pacific.' The alliance, moreover, has robust popular support: a 2024 poll found that 83% of Americans view Japan favorably.
During Mr. Trump's first 100 days, the administration upgraded the status of U.S. forces in Japan, approved equipment sales for a Japanese hypersonic-missile program and explored joint production of dual-use ships. The president suggested collaboration on the Golden Dome missile defense system.
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