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As the US rows back on Indo-Pacific, Japan steps up to the plate
Hegseth conspicuously avoided using the term ‘Indo-Pacific’, indicating that Trump’s team is done needling China. Enter Tokyo.
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Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi made it clear at the Shangri-La Dialogue that he wants his country to bring together the region's security efforts.
PHOTO: REUTERS
As America, the long-time principal steward for the region that has come to be called the Indo-Pacific gently retrenches, a new chaperone is leaning in.
One not merely willing, but increasingly able. Japan. To me, this was one of the key takeaways from the just concluded Shangri-La Dialogue. Just look at the arc of contemporary events related to the dialogue.
