Kenneth Weinstein has been nominated as the new US Ambassador to Japan. The post of US Ambassador to Japan has been vacant since last year when William Hagerty stepped down. Weinstein emphasised that Tokyo should play a more significant role in the alliance, especially in light of China’s increasing assertiveness. Weinstein stated, “As we engage in this strategic competition (with China) in the Indo-Pacific, all of us need to do more...Japan needs to do more.”
US-Japan defence relations have experienced ups and downs in the recent past, owing to the Trump Administration pushing Japan to pay more to maintain US troops on its soil. Currently, Japan pays about $2 billion towards stationing US military personnel station in Japan. Tokyo also compensates localities that host the US military. It covers the rent of bases and costs of new facilities under the cost-sharing agreement called Special Measures Agreement (SMA). In his memoir, former national security adviser John Bolton claimed that, in 2019, President Trump asked Japan to pay four times the current amount, or about $8 billion for US forces stationed there. The Japanese government denied the claims made by Bolton and maintained that negotiations “have not even started”. Japan currently hosts approximately 55,000 US military personnel.
The US was negotiating with South Korea earlier this year on a cost-sharing agreement to maintain 28,500 American troops on Japanese soil. Seoul was paying $900 million and offered to increase that amount by 13%. However, President Trump demanded South Korea pay $5 billion, and stated, “They’ve offered us a certain amount of money, and I’ve rejected it.” In this context, negotiations with Japan may take a similar turn.
Japan’s SMA is to be re-negotiated in the coming months, and experts predict that the Trump Administration will continue to demand monumental increases to Japan’s contributions, and that these negotiations may have a bearing on trade talks. This spillover of strategic discussions into trade negotiations could impact the overall strategic nature of bilateral relations between the two countries. For instance, Japan faces security challenges posed by China pertaining to the Senkaku-Diaoyutai island dispute in the East China Sea. In this regard, Weinstein expressed his eagerness to work with Japan to manage the security challenges posed by China’s “destabilizing actions” around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands. Accordingly, the US is bargaining to reduce its military expenditures and maximize the favorability of its trade agreements with Japan.
Another roadblock in the US-Japan defence relations pertains to the relocation of US Marine airbase in Okinawa. A non-binding referendum in 2019 showed that 72% of Okinawa citizens opposed the construction of the new base. The future of the SMA negotiations between Washington and Tokyo will face challenges on various fronts. Nevertheless, teports have also suggested that Weinstein shares close ties with Japanese Prime minister Abe and that this could positively impact bilateral relations.
New US Ambassador to Japan Calls for Tokyo to Play Bigger Role in Indo-Pacific
Kenneth Weinstein called on Japan to “do more”, especially in light of Chinese aggression.
August 7, 2020
SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES