Japan stands out uniquely as the only Asian Nation which boldly faced the 'Soviet Threat' to Asia Pacific security' alongside the United States during the 20th Century Cold War. Japan is once again seen now boldly facing the "China Threat" alongside the United States in the evolving 21st Century Cold War.
For Japan, the 21st Century Cold War "China Threat" unlike the 20th Century Cold War is far more threatening to Japan's overall security , more lethal and explosive.
Not only Japanese waters and airspace are offensivly intruded into by China but Japan's life-lines of SLOCs through South China Sea are being threatened by China.
China under President Xi Jinping is displaying enhanced propensity to resort to military force to enforce its misperceived writs.Chinese military brinkmanship is glaringly visible against Vietnam and Philippines in South China Sea and military intervention threats against Taiwan.
Testimony to China's aggressi impulses range from India's Himalayan Borders with China Occupied Tibet to Japanese Senkaku Islands.
Asia Pacific Security of the 20th Century stands replaced by a far wider construct of Indo Pacific Security in 21st Century--- a canvas that encompasses both the PacificOcean and the Indian Ocean and the Nations that lay astride these littorals.
Unlike the Soviet Threat in which Japan was drawn-in because of the ideological tussle and power-play between Russia and the United States, the "China Threat" is radically different.
The "China Threat" that Japan is facing today incorporates both the China-Japan territorial disputes and so also China's bid to oust US Forward Militray Presence in the Western Pacific, basically Japan, to establish its 'Full Spectrum Dominance' over the entire Western Pacific.
Japan's 'National Survival' depends not only on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Japan but also that the Region remans a "Free & Open Indo Pacific" not vulnerable to Chinese aggression,and Chinese political and military coercion..
Japan unlike the UnitedStates was even more alive to the "China Threat" and had started improving its security postures virtually from the turn of the Millenium----gradually and imperceptibly to begin with-----but markedly and unapologetically visible in 2021.
Japan's multi-pronged strategy to boldly face the 'China Threat" stated above perceptionally incorporates the following thrust-lines (1) Strengthen and Reinforce its US-Japan Mutual Security links and mechanisms (2) Participate actively in all dimensions of US Security Architecture for Western Pacific (3) Reinforce and Expand US-led Security Template for Overall Indo Pacific Security (4) Military Capacity-buildup of Nations like Vietnam and the Philippines whose islands pssessions in South China Sea have been forcibly occupied by China (5) Defence build-up and enhancement of Japan's self-relaint defence and military deterrence capabilities.
Reflective of the above is evidenced by Japan's pivotal role in US-led QUAD, Strategic Partnerships with India and Australia, Defence ties with NATO and Major European Nations, and Japanese Navy presence in the Gulf of Aden region.
In terms of Japanese deterrence there appears a greater effort by Japan for security in domains of Space, Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare---all the domains in which China is attempting supremacy.
Japanese military hardware emanating from Japan'sown advanced indigenous production capabilities of advanced fighter aircraft, helicopter assault ships capable of being converted to aircraft carriers with VSTOL Fighter aircraft , naval ships etc. also stand supplemented by adavanced US military systems.
Notably, under the last Japanese PM Shino Abe Japan took a significant turn away from the fetters of its Peace Constitution to participate pro-actively in wider military participation in distant areas.
Significantly, the latest "Defense of Japan" White Paper 2021 Document, much to the chagrin of China, asserts that Taiwan's security and stability is a a Japanese security concern.
Dramatically, in the fields of Japan's security policies and outlook there is a 'New Spirit' reflected on the 2021 Ink-Sketch on the Document's Cover----- "The Samurai has Risen"
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