To counter China, US Marines in Japan are to be repurposed

The days of Japan’s checkbook diplomacy are over. The Japanese already said they are upping defense spending to 2% of GDP, which will make it the third largest military budget in the world. Now, the Japanese are finding new ways to strengthen military ties with the West.

After World War II, the Japanese relied on America’s military for protection. That’s changing. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is meeting with President Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week, to bolster military ties in an almost NATO-like fashion.

It’s all a coordinated effort to counter China’s increasingly aggressive posturing in the region. Japan sees China’s ambition to reunite with Taiwan as a threat to its own national interests.

Japan is coordinating with the U.S. to repurpose, and in some cases reposition, the Marine Corps regiment based in Okinawa. In what’s being called one of the most significant advances in U.S. force posture in the region, the Marines will be divided into “Marine Littoral Regiments” of around 2000 troops. These units will be armed with missiles and drones.

The units will perform reconnaissance from some of the many islands surrounding Okinawa, and will also serve as a strike force in contested maritime theaters. China has the world’s largest navy, and it’s still growing. So, the ability to target Chinese vessels sailing through disputed territories is seen as a deterrent to potential Chinese attacks.

Japan’s adoption of a counter-strike defensive mindset means being able to hit mainland China as well. So the Japanese are investing in the development of their own long-range missiles. In the meantime, the U.S. is selling Japan tomahawks cruise missiles to fill that gap.

The Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the Marine regiment reinforces Japan’s status as “by far the most important ally in preparing for a Taiwan crisis.”

The Chinese foreign ministry said “U.S.-Japan military cooperation should not harm the interests of any third party or undermine peace and stability in the region.”

Reuters contributed to this report.