Israel must seize the opportunities created by Japan's strategic awakening - opinion

Japan is undertaking its most significant security transformation since World War II, prompted by a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Decades of prioritizing economic growth while relying on the United States for security are being re-evaluated due to China's military buildup, North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and tensions around Taiwan.

Since 2022, Tokyo has sharply increased defense spending, acquired new capabilities, strengthened intelligence structures, and centralized strategic decision-making. While not abandoning its pacifist traditions, Japan is redefining self-defense for a more dangerous world. This strategic "awakening" offers opportunities for countries like Israel, which also operates in a region pressured by authoritarian powers.

"Japan and Israel are very different countries, but they share something fundamental: both are democracies operating in regions dominated, or heavily pressured, by authoritarian powers," the author writes. Israel faces Iran and its proxies, while Japan confronts China, North Korea, and Russia. Both nations maintain crucial partnerships with the United States, vital for stability in their respective regions.

The article highlights the increasing interconnectedness of global security, particularly the growing cooperation among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. This informal alliance, characterized by drone supplies from Iran to Russia, North Korean support for Moscow, and diplomatic backing from China for Russia and Iran, means that developments in East Asia increasingly impact the Middle East, and vice versa. For Japan, Iran's expanding cooperation with these states makes Middle Eastern developments directly relevant to its broader security concerns.