The Trump Administration Shouldn't Treat Japan as Merely a Symbolic Ally
The battle for the Indo-Pacific is not coming. It has arrived.
China is waging an economic and military campaign to dominate the region, force the United States out, and rewrite the global order in its own image.
The stakes couldn't be higher, and the United States cannot fight this battle alone.
Japan stands as America’s most critical ally in this fight, a nation whose economic power and military resurgence make it the single greatest hedge against China’s expansionist ambitions.
The Trump administration must acknowledge Japan’s role not just as a partner, but as the cornerstone of a strategy to contain Beijing, defend freedom, and secure American prosperity for generations to come.
For years, the Land of the Rising Sun, has been a bulwark of stability in Asia.
Japan has hosted vital U.S. military installations and served as a critical launching point for American operations.
Today, presents a different story.
The Asian nation is no longer just a staging ground for U.S. forces.
It's transforming into a genuine military power. Under Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Japan is undergoing the largest military buildup in its modern history, doubling its defense budget, and expanding its capabilities to stand toe-to-toe with China.
This shift could not come at a more urgent moment.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is building its military at breakneck speed, constructing warships faster than any nation on Earth, expanding its nuclear arsenal, and carrying out aggressive military exercises designed to intimidate Taiwan and its neighbors.
The United States must recognize that deterring a conflict with China requires more than just American firepower.
It demands a strong regional alliance, and Japan is the linchpin of that effort.
The Trump administration must move decisively to deepen military cooperation with Japan. Joint military exercises should increase in both frequency and complexity to ensure that U.S. and Japanese forces can operate seamlessly in a crisis.
Weapons development and intelligence-sharing agreements must be strengthened so that Japan can rapidly integrate new technology into its expanding arsenal.
The United States should also encourage Japan to take on a more assertive role in regional security, working alongside Australia, India, and other like-minded nations to present a united front against Beijing’s bullying.
China’s military ambitions extend far beyond Taiwan.
If left unchecked, Beijing will use its growing power to coerce and dominate the entire Pacific region.
A strong Japan, fully equipped and prepared to push back, is the most effective deterrent against this reality.
China does not just seek dominance through military strength.
It's using its economic might as a weapon, manipulating trade, controlling supply chains, and punishing nations that dare to resist its influence. Japan is uniquely positioned to help the United States break Beijing’s economic grip and build a regional economy that is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party.
Japan has already taken the lead in countering China’s economic warfare.
It played a central role in securing semiconductor export controls, preventing China from gaining access to the technology it needs to dominate global industries.
It has encouraged Japanese businesses to move their supply chains out of China, reducing dependence on a hostile regime that has used trade as a tool of blackmail.
These efforts must be expanded.
The Trump administration must work with Japan to establish a new economic framework that counters China’s influence across the Indo-Pacific.
This means incentivizing more Japanese companies to move manufacturing to the United States and allied nations, creating supply chains that are resilient to Chinese interference.
It means pushing Japan to expand investment in Southeast Asia and India, strengthening alternative markets that can compete with China’s economic dominance.
It means coordinating with Japan to impose harsher penalties on Chinese firms that engage in intellectual property theft, forced labor, and unfair trade practices.
For decades, China has used its economic power to pressure other nations into submission.
But Japan, the third-largest economy globally and an innovation powerhouse, has the strength to challenge China’s dominance.
With the right leadership in Washington, D.C. Japan and the United States can forge a trade and technology alliance that protects both nations from Beijing’s economic blackmail and reshapes global markets in favor of freedom, security, and prosperity.
Past administrations have made the mistake of relying on toothless multilateral agreements that do little to protect American workers or counter China’s aggression. Japan offers an alternative.
Instead of engaging in endless diplomatic bureaucracy, the United States should prioritize a bilateral economic partnership with Japan that secures supply chains, strengthens domestic industries, and keeps Chinese influence at bay.
This does not mean rejoining outdated globalist trade deals that failed to hold China accountable. It means creating a new U.S.-Japan economic framework putting American and Japanese workers first, strengthens industrial production, and ensures that Beijing cannot exploit gaps in trade policy to gain an advantage. The Trump administration should take decisive action by negotiating a U.S.-Japan trade pact that prioritizes fair trade, technology security, and economic self-sufficiency.
Japan has already proven itself to be a leader in shaping trade policies that counter China.
America must support and expand these efforts, not by acting defensively, but by going on the offense. This means working with Japan to cut China out of critical industries like semiconductors, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence (AI).
It means ensuring that American and Japanese companies do not fall prey to Beijing’s predatory economic practices.
It means treating Japan not as just another ally, but as an indispensable partner in the fight for economic security.
Under President Trump, the U.S.-Japan alliance reached unprecedented levels of cooperation. Unlike past administrations that treated alliances as symbolic, Trump understood that partnerships must be results-driven.
The foundation has been laid, but the work is far from over.
Moving forward, a second Trump administration must recognize Japan as the most critical player in America’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
This means reinforcing Japan’s military capabilities, integrating economic policies that weaken China’s global influence, and ensuring that the U.S.-Japan alliance remains at the forefront of efforts to maintain regional stability.
China’s ambitions are clear.
It seeks to dominate Asia, push the United States out, and reshape the global order to serve the Communist Party’s interests.
The only way to prevent this future is through strength.
Japan is America’s most powerful ally in this fight, and the United States must embrace this partnership fully.
There is no middle ground in the struggle against Chinese expansion.
Either the United States and Japan stand together to defend freedom, or China will impose its will on the world.
The Trump administration must seize this moment, forge an unbreakable alliance with Japan, and ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free and open for generations to come.
Mitchell Brown is an Army veteran with extensive experience as a linguist, intelligence collector, and reconnaissance asset. Mitchell eventually took a legislative role in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he began his work on policy for the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. Mitchell was subsequently appointed to serve as deputy White House Liaison for the Department of Labor for the Trump administration. Mitchell was tasked with leading in lowering the unemployment rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read Mitch Brown's Reports — More Here.
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