Commentary: Trump’s South Korea defence flip reminds Japan it has no Plan B
A commentary piece explores how Donald Trump's recent rhetoric regarding US military exercises in South Korea creates uncertainty for Japan's security strategy. The author argues that Japan's reliance on the US-Japan alliance leaves the nation vulnerable if American security guarantees are weakened.
Why it matters
This highlights the potential for shifting US foreign policy to destabilize long-standing security alliances in the Indo-Pacific region.
While alarming for Seoul, an abandonment of US guarantees could be disastrous for Tokyo, says Leo Lewis for The Financial Times.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gestures as US President Donald Trump delivers his speech during their visit to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington at the US Navy's Yokosuka base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, Oct 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
TOKYO: On Wednesday night (Aug 19), after a summer of sharply escalating regional tension, protesters lined the roads near Sanae Takaichi’s residence bellowing pleas for the Japanese prime minister to stick to pacifism under the “peace clause” of the country’s constitution.
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