Ep. 12 | Mr. Kishida Goes to Washington

Vandenberg Flash Focus

Zack Cooper joins Flash Focus to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's state visit to Washington this week. What are the top-takeaways and how should policymakers think about our relationship with the country that is arguably our most important ally?

Japan is central to America's alliance network in the Indo-Pacific and the Administration sees a willing security partner in Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During the Prime Minister’s state visit in Washington this week, the United States and Japan unveiled plans for military cooperation and coordinated command structure, ranging from missiles to moon landings. Kishida also addressed a joint session of Congress, urging Congress to uphold U.S. commitments and leadership globally, while offering assurances that Japan is today a strong partner “standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with America.

Zack Cooper is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies American strategy and alliances in the Indo-Pacific. He has previously served on the staff of the National Security Council and in the Department of Defense. He is a member of the Vandenberg Coalition's advisory board.

Jump to:

00:01:16 The new U.S.-Japan defense collaboration & command structure

00:04:02 Prime Minister Kishida’s call for U.S. global leadership

00:06:28 Differences between Kishida and former PM Abe on foreign policy

00:09:53 Japan’s strategy in the shifting Indo-Pacific security environment

00:12:08 Japanese-Filipino coordination in the South China Sea

00:14:40 Significance of the U.S.-Japan alliance in American strategy