Japan’s defence outreach to counter China’s military rise hits hidden roadblocks

Japan seized the spotlight at last month’s Shangri-La Dialogue, stepping into a vacuum left by the Chinese defence chief – who skipped the forum for a second year – and using the stage to sharpen its warnings over Beijing’s military rise.Speaking in Singapore on May 31, the final day of the security forum, Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi pushed back against Beijing’s accusation that Japan is engaging in a “new militarism” and instead took aim at China’s growing military capabilities and lack of transparency.Japan’s prominence was amplified when a scheduled session on China’s cooperative partnerships in the Asia-Pacific – a slot that would have offered Beijing a platform to present its vision for regional security – was cancelled.Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi delivers a speech during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31. Photo: APTokyo made headlines during the forum when Koizumi took the unusual step of meeting US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in a clear bid for public reassurance that Washington remains fully committed to Asia. While it was meant to project a strong, united front between the US and Japan, it exposed Japan’s anxiety about its own security and dependence on the alliance.