So, does this mean Japan could become a more militarised state under Takaichi? And if so, what are the implications for regional security?<\/p>\n
Countering China\u2019s rise<\/p>\n
Takaichi has portrayed herself as Japan\u2019s Margaret Thatcher<\/a> and the standard-bearer of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe\u2019s legacy. <\/p>\n Abe, who led the LDP back to power in 2012, had pledged to \u201crestore a strong Japan\u201d. During his eight-year rule, Japan adopted a so-called \u201cproactive pacifism<\/a>\u201d. Under this new security strategy, Japan began to depart from its strengthening the military In 2014, a new interpretation of the constitution also permitted Japan to engage in \u201ccollective self defence\u201d, or aid an ally under attack.<\/p>\n Then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, centre, poses for a photo with his new Cabinet members, including Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi, bottom right, at the prime minister\u2019s official residence in Tokyo, September 3 2014. Takaichi now sees her job as continuing Abe\u2019s work. And her direction is clear.<\/p>\n Shortly after becoming prime minister last year, Takaichi triggered a spat<\/a> with Beijing when she suggested Japan would come to Taiwan\u2019s defence if it was attacked by China. Beijing retaliated with economic pressure and coercive rhetoric, but Takaichi refused to back down. <\/p>\n Neither Takaichi nor China\u2019s leader, Xi Jinping, are in a hurry to improve diplomatic relations<\/a>. <\/p>\n Beijing has urged Chinese tourists not to travel to Japan<\/a> and warned that Takaichi\u2019s moves threaten regional security and the international order<\/a>.<\/p>\n Takaichi, meanwhile, is hoping an assertive China will help her overcome domestic opposition to her security agenda. So far, the public supports her government, too. In a poll after the election, 69% approved<\/a> of her cabinet\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n How Takaichi wants to transform Japan\u2019s military<\/p>\n Takaichi\u2019s government will soon begin work<\/a> on a revision of its National Security Strategy from 2022. It is likely to adopt her declared \u201ccrisis management\u201d approach, combining security and economic objectives with industrial policy.<\/p>\n Despite mounting public debt, Takaichi has already increased defence spending to 2% of Japan\u2019s GDP ahead of schedule, and has pledged to spend more<\/a>. <\/p>\n Her government is also considering acquiring nuclear submarines<\/a> and has announced plans to further deregulate arms exports, ultimately allowing the transfer of lethal weapons. <\/p>\n Japan has already permitted the export of Patriot PAC-3 air defence missile<\/a> systems to the United States to replenish stocks sent to Ukraine and Israel. Japan has also agreed to sell Mogami-class frigates<\/a> to Australia and has signed deals with Italy and the United Kingdom to co-develop a next-generation fighter jet<\/a>. <\/p>\n In addition, Japan is participating in a NATO-led initiative<\/a> to supply Ukraine with military equipment. While Japan\u2019s involvement is limited to non-lethal arms, this could lead to more defence cooperation with NATO overall.<\/p>\n On the domestic intelligence front, Takaichi has pledged to pass a new anti-spy law, establish a National Intelligence Bureau<\/a> modelled on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and issue a national intelligence strategy. <\/p>\n These initiatives are intended to bolster the country\u2019s intelligence capabilities, which have often been hindered by bureaucratic infighting. The long-term aim is eventually joining the \u201cFive Eyes\u201d network<\/a>. <\/p>\n Stronger ties with the Trump administration<\/p>\n Faced with threats from China, North Korea and Russia, Japan has little choice but to maintain its security alliance with the US. <\/p>\n At the top of Takaichi\u2019s agenda, therefore, is managing the US\u2013Japan alliance in the era of the so-called \u201cDonroe doctrine<\/a>\u201d. This is Trump\u2019s new security strategy that shifts the focus of US security towards the Western hemisphere, potentially distracting from the Indo-Pacific. <\/p>\n Trump endorsed Takaichi during her election campaign. And when she goes to Washington<\/a> on March 19, she will likely attempt to influence the White House\u2019s China agenda before Trump visits Beijing in April. <\/p>\n In order to offset the potential impact of a trade deal between the US and China, Takaichi could also use her new political capital to accelerate the implementation of Japan\u2019s own US$550 billion (A$777 billion) investment pledge<\/a> in the US.<\/p>\n Big challenges ahead<\/p>\n Ten years ago, Angela Merkel, then-chancellor of Germany, was hailed as the \u201cnew leader of the free world<\/a>\u201d. Now, Takaichi is being celebrated as the \u201cworld\u2019s most powerful woman<\/a>\u201d. <\/p>\n How she uses her new-found power to manoeuvre in a world of great-power rivalry and uncertain alliances will define her legacy and shape the region for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) got a historic landslide victory in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":473026,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[23,3,21,19,22,20,25,24],"class_list":{"0":"post-473025","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-united-states","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-united-states-of-america","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","14":"tag-us","15":"tag-usa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=473025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473025\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/473026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=473025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=473025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=473025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\npostwar pacifism through a number of ways:<\/p>\n
\nlifting bans on arms exports
\nbuilding new security partnerships (including with NATO, the European Union and the Quad)
\nconsolidating its alliance with the United States. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/file-20260217-56-erkchk.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Eugene Hoshiko\/AP<\/p>\n