(…) The U.S. and Japan also negotiated the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty between 1951 and 1960, which gives the U.S. the right to maintain military bases in Japan so that it has a presence in Asia, so long as it protects Japan if the nation is attacked. (…)
Expect such military bases, not only in Japan but also in Europe, to dismantle in the following decades.
Also worth noting that Japan’s constitution specifically prevents them from having a standing army. They’re only allowed a small “self-defense force” to protect their own borders in the event of an attack. It was one of the key concessions that Japan made in the wake of World War II. The world saw how Germany had invaded twice, and didn’t want that to happen with Japan in a few years. And one of the largest reasons Japan was willing to go along with it is because the US had promised to help them rebuild, and offered to protect them with their own military if they were ever invaded.
Pulling out could have massively detrimental effects to Japan’s neighbors, especially considering the fact that far-right support has been on the rise in Japan too. Japan has always been a conservative country, but in recent years there has been a big slide towards nationalism and xenophobia. If the US military pulls out, then Japan will want to fill the void with their own military. And this would be happening right as the country is sliding towards neo-nationalism. Those two things combined are a dangerous combination.
The US military bases aren’t super popular in Japan. Especially since there have historically been some high-profile cases of military dudebros causing trouble off base, and then running back to base to avoid being punished by Japanese authorities. Even when the military takes action against the person in question, Japan tends to see it as the military protecting their service members because Japanese judicial punishments tend to be much more severe than American punishments. So many Japanese people would likely take a “good riddance, we can do it better ourselves” stance.
Expect such military bases, not only in Japan but also in Europe, to dismantle in the following decades.
Also worth noting that Japan’s constitution specifically prevents them from having a standing army. They’re only allowed a small “self-defense force” to protect their own borders in the event of an attack. It was one of the key concessions that Japan made in the wake of World War II. The world saw how Germany had invaded twice, and didn’t want that to happen with Japan in a few years. And one of the largest reasons Japan was willing to go along with it is because the US had promised to help them rebuild, and offered to protect them with their own military if they were ever invaded.
Pulling out could have massively detrimental effects to Japan’s neighbors, especially considering the fact that far-right support has been on the rise in Japan too. Japan has always been a conservative country, but in recent years there has been a big slide towards nationalism and xenophobia. If the US military pulls out, then Japan will want to fill the void with their own military. And this would be happening right as the country is sliding towards neo-nationalism. Those two things combined are a dangerous combination.
The US military bases aren’t super popular in Japan. Especially since there have historically been some high-profile cases of military dudebros causing trouble off base, and then running back to base to avoid being punished by Japanese authorities. Even when the military takes action against the person in question, Japan tends to see it as the military protecting their service members because Japanese judicial punishments tend to be much more severe than American punishments. So many Japanese people would likely take a “good riddance, we can do it better ourselves” stance.
Same reason Ukraine gave up nuclear capabilities