FP This Week: Japan’s military pivot

Plus, India and Israel deepen ties [Foreign Policy This Week]( April 10, 2023 | [View in browser]( To access all the benefits of an FP subscription, [sign in]( or [subscribe](. Thanks for reading. For years, Washington has been exhorting Tokyo to shoulder more of its defense burden. Now Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has mounted a diplomatic offensive to make his country the go-to for military alliances—and wants to double defense spending over the next five years as well. “One question is why Kishida seems in such a rush,” [writes]( Tokyo-based journalist William Sposato, who goes on to wonder if Japan can sustain this course on military expansion. For more reading on the country’s dramatic shift in strategy, Rena Sasaki [argues]( Japan needs a defense industrial revolution, and Samuel P. Porter [proposes]( a solution to a military mismatch—given Japan’s primary threats are maritime, why has it invested so heavily in a land-based force? Finally, there’s A.A. Bastian’s [warning]( that Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa is in the crosshairs of China’s ambitions. Don’t miss any of our continued coverage of Japan and East Asia by setting an [email alert]( for relevant stories whenever they publish. This customizable feature is only for subscribers and is available at the end of every article.—The editors --------------------------------------------------------------- New and Noteworthy - [The Many Trials of Imran Khan]( One year ago, Khan was ousted as prime minister through a parliamentary no-confidence vote. Since losing power, he has rallied mass support and pushed for snap elections. Catch up quickly by reading our [latest stories]( on Pakistani politics, including an [analysis]( of the 140 charges against the ousted prime minister and other supporters of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 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