The United States and Japan must align their defense capabilities to confront growing pressure from China, the new U.S. ambassador to Japan, George Glass, said upon arriving in Tokyo on Friday.
“We are in a very difficult neighborhood with Japan. There are Russia, China and North Korea,” Glass told reporters at Haneda Airport, adding that allies must “meet the challenges posed by a country like China.”
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Japan hosts the largest number of U.S. troops stationed outside the United States, including fighter squadrons and the only carrier strike group deployed outside its home territory.
In recent years, Tokyo has launched a historic military buildup and a series of projects with Washington to better coordinate its armed forces and defense industries.
However, former President Donald Trump’s ambiguous stance on support for Ukraine and his dissatisfaction with the costs of military alliances have raised concerns about the long-term commitment of the United States to security partnerships around the world.
Glass said Washington’s focus is on the safety of American and Japanese citizens, as well as providing the necessary support and resources for the military to respond to threats from Beijing, according to Reuters.
Asked about Glass’s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said diplomats should promote friendship rather than spread negative rhetoric, stressing that China is a “force for international peace.”
“Who is really flaunting military power, stirring up conflict and threatening peace around the world?” Lin said at a regular news conference. “The international community has never been clearer on this issue.”
Trump chose Glass in part because of his past success in confronting China’s “predatory practices” during his 2017-2021 tenure as ambassador to Portugal, Glass said.
At his confirmation hearing in March, Glass said he would ask Japan to shoulder a larger share of the cost of the U.S. military presence.
Trump wants those costs to be included in broader trade talks launched after his administration imposed import tariffs on dozens of countries, including Japan. Tokyo, on the other hand, wants the issues to remain separate.
Glass said he was “extremely optimistic” that the U.S. and Japan would reach a deal. Washington says more than 75 countries have expressed interest in talks since the tariffs were imposed earlier this month.
