Virtually every Japanese national security document or pronouncement begins by noting the unprecedented security challenges the country faces. Typical is the newly issued Defense White Paper, the introduction to which, by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, warns that the “security environment surrounding Japan is as severe and complex as it has ever been since the end of World War II.” That sounds like boilerplate and it may be — but that doesn’t make it any less true, especially after events of the last week. Actions by allies and adversaries alike have underscored the challenges that Japan faces navigating this world and the uncertainty that now frames its decision making.
The first challenge came from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who last week visited Etorofu, the largest of the four islands seized by Russia in the last days of World War II and which it continues to hold. His first-ever visit to one of the islands was part of a trip to the Sakhalin region, during which he observed exercises by Russia’s Pacific Fleet and promised to strengthen its capabilities.
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