Latest poll - More Japanese want bigger role in U.S. security alliance

日米同盟, Nichi-Bei Dōmei

  Latest poll - More Japanese want bigger role in U.S. security alliance

According to the latest polls, 89% of respondents in Japan see China as a threat, 87% see North Korea as a threat and 90% see Russia as a threat. 83% of respondents said they are concerned about an attack on Japanese soil.
 
 

That is why more Japanese support the nation taking on a larger role in the security alliance with the U.S., topping those opposed for the first time.
 
Japan's opposition parties have a dilemma. They feel the need to speak out against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's rush to increase defense spending, but are also closely watching the opinion polls, which clearly show the public supporting the buildup.
 
The argument therefore tends to tilt toward procedural matters, such as funding and accountability.
 
Raising taxes is unacceptable, say many, while others note that it is not clear what the expanded defense budget will be used for.
 
But few have protested the need to significantly boost defense spending in a neighborhood that includes China, Russia and North Korea.
 
One of the lone voices openly protesting the expansion is former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, a retired member of the ruling LDP, who says the path is a mistake. Fukuda calls for a deeper understanding of China's intentions and boosting efforts to defuse tensions.
 
 

"Can Japan win in a war against China? Nobody would say that we can," Fukuda says. "Some say the U.S. will help us, but there must be limitations. Japan-U.S. relations are important, but we must avoid a situation where we fight other countries because we have that alliance."