Respectfully disagree. I am a US Navy veteran myself, spent three years at CNFJ in Yokosuka, and have lived in Japan for 35 years. I also have friends in the Japan Self Defense forces, a Japanese wife, daughter, and four grandchildren here.
The consensus I am seeing evolve says that while Japan certainly appreciates US support, they have come to the conclusion that they cannot always depend on it and that they must have a credible independent defense posture.
A quick look at the overview of the most recently released Japan Defense White Paper (https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/articles/2021d4h133ib2t829bvd.html) makes it very clear to me that Japan is serious about upgrading its defenses and is preparing to meet the threat regardless of who is President of the USA.
,they have come to the conclusion that they cannot always depend on it and that they must have a credible independent defense posture.
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No sir, we now agree. That’s (cannot always) another way of saying “they just shift into another gear”. We’re on the same page.