Washington should be wary of what Takaichi pouring into Japan-US alliance 'wine bottle'

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly hopes to have a meeting with United States President Donald Trump in March, ahead of a visit to China that Trump has mooted for April.

Rather than signaling diplomatic confidence, Takaichi's desire to meet the US leader first betrays her rising anxiety over the dire consequences of a growing crisis of her own making.

It should be recalled that Takaichi met the US president in Japan on Oct 28, just two days before Trump's meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Busan, the Republic of Korea. That episode did not produce any visible first-come-first-served advantage for Japan, nor did it alter the trajectory of China-US interactions. If anything, subsequent developments suggest that Washington is far from enthusiastic about Tokyo's attempts to stir up trouble in the region.

After Chinese President Xi Jinping's telephone talks with Trump on Nov 24, which clearly conveyed the two sides' willingness to jointly safeguard the postwar international order and manage differences responsibly, Takaichi appeared to receive a sobering signal. The US leader's follow-up telephone call with her made it evident that the US was not supportive of her reckless intervention in the Taiwan question, particularly her erroneous and dangerous Nov 7 remarks in the Diet issuing Japan's unprovoked military threat to China over the latter's internal affairs, according to media reports.

The US side is aware of the risks of being entangled in a crisis provoked by Japanese right-wing adventurism. Washington has no reason to allow Tokyo to hijack US policy or to act as the "tail that wags the dog" in regional affairs. The US administration is also aware that the Takaichi government risks becoming a source of troubles.

If Takaichi visits Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 Class A Japanese war criminals from World War II are enshrined, on Dec 26 — the anniversary of a 2013 visit by her mentor, former prime minister Shinzo Abe — as some predict, it would further reveal her militant inclinations and only deepen US concerns about being dragged into a situation not of its making.

Recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscore the US' reluctance to dance to Tokyo's tune. Labeling the heightened China-Japan tensions as "preexisting", Rubio conspicuously avoided supporting Takaichi when asked about developments following her erroneous remarks on Nov 7. This careful approach reflects a clear US awareness that the current strains stem from Takaichi's provocations rather than any sudden change in China's position.

Despite the differences between China and the US, they share responsibility to uphold global stability. This runs directly counter to Takaichi's attempts to challenge the postwar international order at the cost of regional peace and stability.

The world sees clearly what Takaichi is trying to pour into the Japan-US alliance "wine bottle" by publicizing her efforts to meet Trump first so early. Her eagerness to have a face-to-face meeting with the US leader reflects her intention to leverage the alliance to advance Japan's right-wing political and military ambitions while hiding behind the US' security cloak.

Since Takaichi apparently hopes to use a US endorsement to consolidate the right-wing's political base at home and accelerate military expansion, it can be anticipated that should a meeting with Trump take place first, she would hype up the "China threat", lobby for continued containment, push for exclusive supply chains and high-tech restrictions, and seek tacit US approval for breaking free from the constitutional constraints on militarism.

It is essential that the US side recognize the imminent dangers of Japanese right-wing extremism and draw Japan clear red lines so as to avoid itself being misled by Tokyo to confront China. Despite its intention to push Tokyo to the front in the Asia-Pacific, Washington should not underestimate the risks of Tokyo's provocations on the Taiwan question or the East China Sea issue, as Takaichi has clearly shown her recklessness to "over play" the assigned role for Japan.

That recklessness should also serve to prompt the US to handle the Taiwan question responsibly. It should refrain from taking any move that sends a wrong signal to both the Takaichi government and the secessionist-minded Lai Ching-te authorities of Taiwan.

The US administration should uphold its commitments to the one-China principle. Peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific are in the interest of all, including the US.