“They’ve just now figured it out?”
Agree. They should have figured it out 25 years ago...if not before then. I suspect, instead, that they knew, but figured the US would be around to defend them.
Now they see that the US has pretty much spent its military in Ukraine and is one Hypersonic barrage from leaving the Pacific Theater for good (as having to explain away the loss of a Carrier is literally impossible), that any hope for the US to come to Taiwan/Japan’s rescue is about over, so Japan now realizes that they’re on their own.
Better late then never, I guess.
” the US has pretty much spent its military in Ukraine “
This is insane. I mean by that that you are absolutely gibbering in a psychotic hallucination.
They figured it out about 15 years ago. Hence their naval building program.
“is one Hypersonic barrage from leaving the Pacific Theater for good”
Ludicrous.
You have never been at sea on a warship, that is apparent.
The US OWNS the Pacific.
China is trying to carve off a lake around Taiwan and Hainan island.
we have a carrier group Stationed in Yokosuka from at least the 70’s when I was there.