By Shannon Tiezzi
The Ukraine crisis may force Japan to choose between its alliance with the US and its outreach to Russia.
The situation in Ukraine continues to have a geopolitical impact on the Asia-Pacific region. As I wrote earlier, China’s instinct to support Russia is resulting in some strange contortions to Beijing’s traditional insistence on non-interference. But China’s not the only East Asian nation having to do quick diplomatic calculus—Japan is in a similar position. In fact, Tokyo might be even worse off, because it would ideally want to enjoy a close relationship with both Washington and Moscow, a balancing act that is looking more and more impossible.
Japan’s relationship with the U.S., underpinned by a formal security alliance, has been the major underpinning of Tokyo’s foreign policy for over 60 years. The relationship is arguably even more important for Japan today, as Tokyo seeks to bolster its ability to deal with an ever-stronger China. As with any alliance, the two do not have completely aligned interests, however. The Ukraine situation—which has essentially devolved into a confrontation between the West and Russia—represents one such divergence.
Read the full story at The Diplomat