Intelligence-sharing networks need reliable and trustworthy partners. Japan is an obvious choice for the Western-dominated "Five Eyes” spy alliance, made up of the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Tokyo’s inclusion in the club is long overdue, especially as the region combats China’s growing assertiveness and the unpredictability of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
The group shouldn’t waste any more time to take advantage of Tokyo’s expertise. It has one of the world’s biggest intelligence-gathering establishments and has long had eyes on China and North Korea, both considered among the nation’s biggest security threats. That knowledge would prove invaluable for the Washington-led coalition, under pressure from an increasingly hostile environment.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s trip to Tokyo this week to strengthen security cooperation is another reminder of that reality. Beijing’s influence is growing, both economically and militarily. China this week launched the largest number of its naval vessels around Taiwan since 2022, in yet another attempt to intimidate the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.