Headlines:
- Trump hails Takaichi as LDP President amidst coalition turmoil
- Government shutdown forces Rollings to cancel USDA Japan trade trip
- Multiple US & Japan firms announce new “physical AI” initiatives
- DOD Indo-Pacific chief nominee criticizes Japan defense spending
- USAF joins JASDF, RAAF for Bushido Guardian fighter exercise
Details:
- President Trump described Sanae Takaichi as having “great wisdom and strength” following her election as LDP President on Oct 4. Takaichi, a former interior minister and economic security minister from the party’s conservative wing, favors policies to strengthen Japan’s national security and enshrine the SDF in the country’s constitution. She publicly considered renegotiating the recently-agreed trade and investment agreement with the US but later downplayed the idea. US Treasury Secretary Bessent said he looks forward to working with Takaichi on economic and national security issues. Takaichi must still be elected Prime Minister by the Diet, a prospect jeopardized by coalition partner Komeito’s announcement it will break with the LDP if political funding reforms aren’t enacted. The Diet is trying to elect a PM Oct 21 ahead of Trump’s planned Oct 27 Japan trip, already complicated by a US govt shutdown.
- The US government shutdown forced Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to cancel a trip to Japan during which she planned to meet with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on October 2. Rollins announced in March that she would visit Japan and five other countries to promote US agricultural exports. The trade and investment deal reached in July included a provision stating that Japan would increase imports of US agricultural products by $8 billion per year. Rollins was replaced on the trade mission to Japan by USDA Under Secretary Luke Lindberg.
- US and Japanese firms announced a flurry of AI-related cooperative agreements in September and early October, with a particular emphasis on “physical AI” (i.e., the coupling of AI with industrial or robotic systems). Japan’s NTT is teaming with US chip maker Broadcom to produce a photonics-electronic convergence device to reduce data center power consumption, a similar goal to a new collaboration of Hitachi and Open AI. Also, Fujitsu and Nvidia announced an expanded strategic collaboration to create full-stack AI infrastructure that integrates AI agents in different industrial sectors. And Japanese heavy equipment maker Komatsu will incorporate vehicle autonomy software from US startup Applied Intuition to maximize efficiency and address labor shortages.
- US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs nominee John Noh called for Japan to increase defense spending in a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Oct. 7. During his testimony, Noh asserted that Japan has “long underemphasized” defense spending and said that Japan should pursue a strategy of denial in order to boost collective defense. Also on Oct. 7, the Senate confirmed former Amb. to Thailand Michael DeSombre to serve as Asst. Secretary of State for East Asian & Pacific Affairs, along with over 100 other confirmations.
- The US Air Force joined the trilateral Bushido Guardian 2025 exercise with Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force and Australia’s Air Force for the first time. The exercise, which ended Oct. 10, aims to enhance interoperability between the three services and develop their fifth-generation fighter capabilities through combat training scenarios involving the F-35. Over 800 airmen and 25 aircraft from the three countries participated in the exercise at Misawa Air Base.
“US-Japan Alliance Digest” is a bi-weekly summary of bilateral and related developments compiled by Sasakawa USA’s “US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative.” To receive “Alliance Digest” via email, contact dhinkley@spfusa.org.
