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PacNet #17 – Japan’s Response to New US Defense Strategy: “Welcome, but…”

March 15, 2012

The Japanese government welcomes the recently released US defense strategy because it rebalances the strategic focus toward the Asia-Pacific region. But the other focus of this new strategy – the so-called anti-access, area denial (A2/AD) capabilities of China which, the United States fears, could jeopardize its forward presence and freedom of action in the Western Pacific – does not get as much attention from Japan.