January 1, TRUMP’S MASTER STROKE: American-Japanese Alliance Leaves Beijing TERRIFIED

Wyatt’s Take

• Japan just became America’s most valuable ally on Earth — not Britain — and China is absolutely panicking over it
• Tokyo is betting everything on us: 60,000 US troops stationed there, $62 billion military budget, and ramping up weapons production to defend freedom
• President Trump delivered: Japan hit 2% defense spending TWO YEARS early while Xi Jinping watches his worst nightmare unfold

Nobody does it better than Japan these days — especially when it comes to standing with America against our enemies. From confronting Chinese and Russian aggression to securing the supply chains that keep our economy running, Japan and the United States are working together with more coordination and urgency than any other alliance on the planet.

In fact, Japan has made an enormous existential bet on America, pushing all its chips to the center of the table. It’s time to say what Washington insiders already know: Japan has become our new special relationship in the world’s most critical region.

Americans will always cherish our bond with the United Kingdom — our shared history, values, and bloodshed connect us forever. Our intelligence partnership remains unmatched globally and benefits both nations immensely.

But in terms of raw military and economic power, the UK alliance delivers far less than Japan does today. London’s recent economic pandering to Beijing has also made Britain a far less reliable partner across the Indo-Pacific.

Geography is destiny. Japan sits at the heart of the first island chain, blocking China’s access to the Western Pacific and securing American access to the world’s most dynamic markets.

Chinese dictator Xi Jinping has publicly signaled his desire to push America out of the Pacific entirely. When it comes to deterring Chinese aggression and defending the First Island Chain — core priorities in America’s defense strategy — Japan is absolutely irreplaceable.

Japan’s naval forces have long surpassed those of the UK, Australia, or Europe combined. Other than Taiwan, no country in the world scrambles fighter jets on constant alert against Chinese air incursions — Japan did it 366 times last year alone.

On Taiwan — a vital American interest given its geographic position and centrality to the AI revolution — Japan is the most forward-leaning ally we have. While other countries avoid openly engaging with Taipei, Tokyo works with Taiwan in public, collaborates with America to reinforce deterrence, and strongly supports protecting the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

Ensuring American access to the Indo-Pacific matters tremendously, and without a strong U.S.-Japan alliance, that access would be in jeopardy. Japan hosts approximately 60,000 U.S. service members and contractors, plus another 35,000 civilians — the largest American military presence outside our homeland.

Tokyo covers roughly 75% of those costs, paying an average of $1.5 billion per year under the current agreement — another massive bet on America. Japan also hosts the only forward-deployed U.S. carrier strike group in the world at Yokosuka naval base, providing formidable and constant deterrence near the Taiwan Strait.

Japan continues stepping up, answering President Trump’s call for broader burden sharing among allies. Japan’s military spending surged 9.7% to $62.2 billion in 2025.

Under Prime Minister Takaichi’s leadership, Japanese defense spending hit 2% of GDP in 2026 — two years ahead of schedule — earning widespread praise across Washington. Japan’s defense budget has set new records for 12 consecutive years, and the current Defense Buildup Program allocates approximately $275 billion over five years through 2027.

This is what putting your money where your mouth is looks like in a real alliance.

Japan is also thinking strategically, ensuring American allies have the weapons they need by co-producing advanced U.S. weapons systems at scale. Together, we’re expanding co-production plans for AIM-120 AMRAAMs and increasing production of SM-3 Block IIA interceptors in Japan by fourfold.

This makes Japan a true defense industrial partner, not just a customer, adding to allied production capacity and making up for munitions shortfalls. Integrating 400 U.S. Tomahawk missiles into the Japanese navy alongside the 2025 deployment of the Typhon missile system to mainland Japan dramatically increases interoperability while introducing real counterstrike capabilities.

Meanwhile, Tokyo is undertaking historic intelligence reforms to develop a world-class intelligence community — one capable of becoming a “Sixth Eye,” joining the currently Anglo-centric intelligence sharing club called the “Five Eyes” made up of the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It’s a monumental change for a country concerned with privacy and mindful of past lessons, but China and Russia’s influence operations have made it necessary.

These reforms will further strengthen the U.S.-Japan Alliance.

Japan’s efforts extend far beyond its shores. Following the successful Trump-Takaichi Summit in March, the Alliance shifted into overdrive on critical minerals, establishing price floors, exploring new mining ventures, and bringing our private sectors together.

At the same time, the Takaichi government has strengthened relations with Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands — strategic arenas very much at stake in the broader competition with China. In Europe, Japan has been a major donor to Ukraine, pledging $6 billion in 2026 alone and providing $8.7 billion in budget support since 2022.

In Africa, Japan has pledged $30 billion since 2022, shifting to business-oriented partnerships that emphasize trade over aid — perfectly aligned with Trump Administration policies.

In recognition — or perhaps fear — of our growing closeness, China has tried squeezing Japan by repeatedly sailing into the Senkaku Islands and restricting Tokyo’s access to critical minerals. Beijing has even detained Japanese businessmen in blatant acts of hostage-taking.

The result has only hardened Tokyo’s resolve and emphasized the urgency of acting in concert with America.

We’re truly in a golden moment with Japan, standing shoulder to shoulder to protect our shared interests, secure our supply chains, and defend our allies and partners across the globe from malign actors. In meeting after meeting, at every level, Japanese and American officials see the world — both its opportunities and threats — from the same clear-eyed perspective and agree on what must be done.

Washington should acknowledge this reality by admitting Japan to the Five Eyes club when ready, establishing multiple defense co-production facilities on Japanese soil, and working with Tokyo to develop critical minerals processing plants worldwide with jointly-financed processing and offtake agreements.

If only every relationship was this special.

Wyatt Matters

This is what winning looks like in the real world. While Beijing bullies its neighbors and threatens our interests, Japan stands tall alongside America — backing us with hard cash, military muscle, and industrial might. President Trump understood what others ignored: real allies pull their weight and share the burden. Japan answered that call and proved itself indispensable to American security and prosperity. For working Americans whose jobs depend on free trade routes and secure supply chains, this alliance protects our livelihoods from Chinese communist aggression. That’s not complicated — that’s common sense.