US-Japan-South Korea tie strengthened in response to threat of Communism

U.S.-Japan-South Korea relations have continued to strengthen since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war and the election of Yoon Seok-youl as South Korean president. Recently, the defense ministers of the US, Japan and South Korea held a meeting and stated that they have reached a consensus on the importance of security cooperation and unanimously opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the Indo-Pacific status quo and increase tensions.

Following the meeting, the three sides issued a joint statement strongly condemning North Korea’s continued ballistic missile launches and emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in response to the growing military threat from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), while unanimously opposing any attempt to unilaterally change in the status quo and escalate tensions.

In response to the deteriorating situation around the territory of Japan, the country will strengthen its defense capabilities over the next five years and ensure a significant increase in its defense budget in response to “the emergence of entities that do not follow the rules and sabotage the peace and security of other countries by force or threat. ” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the Singapore Security Dialogue that the U.S. remains focused on maintaining peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, however, the CCP’s move could undermine security, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.