27th Parliamentary-Intelligence Security Forum – National/Regional Security
Hon. Takehiro Shimada, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, highlighted the central importance of the Japan–U.S. alliance as the cornerstone of Japan’s foreign policy. He explained Japan’s strong commitment to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision and its close coordination with the United States to uphold a rules-based international order. He described the increasingly severe global security environment, pointing to developments in the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine, and the Middle East. Shimada identified China as a primary strategic challenge due to its rapid military expansion, lack of transparency, attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas including the Taiwan Strait, and its growing strategic coordination with Russia. He also cited North Korea’s accelerating missile and nuclear development and Russia’s military buildup in the Northern Territories as key threats to Japan’s security.
In response, Japan has significantly strengthened its defense posture. The government committed in 2022 to increasing defense spending to 2 percent of GDP by 2027, raising expenditures by roughly 50 percent over the past two years. Japan has expanded defense procurement from the United States, including Tomahawk missiles and F-35 fighter jets, and is working toward closer defense industrial cooperation such as joint missile production.
Hon. Shimada emphasized the strategic importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, citing Taiwan’s dominant role in advanced semiconductor production and its critical geographic position. He noted that Asia remains the engine of global economic growth, while Africa represents a rapidly growing region with major demographic and economic potential. The Indo-Pacific, he explained, serves as a vital corridor connecting these dynamic regions.
He concluded by underscoring Japan’s commitment to strengthening multilayered partnerships with like-minded countries, including through the Quad framework and other trilateral and minilateral arrangements. Japan will continue working closely with the United States to promote peace, security, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
