Japan, Philippines, Taiwan. . . Who’s Next? Tokyo Expands Alliances Across Asia
Japan is stepping into a more active diplomatic and security role, with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae pursuing closer ties with the US, Australia, South Korea and the Philippines. At the same time, Tokyo is expanding defense cooperation, strengthening its southwestern island defenses and easing long-standing restrictions on arms exports. These moves reflect a broader effort to shape the Indo-Pacific security environment as concerns grow over China’s military activities and the possibility of a Taiwan contingency. But is Japan merely adapting to a changing region, or redefining its role altogether? In this episode, we examine Takaichi’s “shuttle diplomacy,” Japan’s evolving security strategy and what it means for Taiwan, China and the future of the Indo-Pacific. *Recorded on May 21, 2026 at 2:45pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Wen-Ti Sung Producer: Chinyeh Chiang Our guests: Athena Tong - University of Tokyo RCAST Visiting Researcher Ronan Fu - Academia Sinica Institute of Political Science Assistant Research Fellow Kawai Daisuke - University of Tokyo RCAST Economic Security and Policy Innovation Program Director and Project Assistant Professor
