Japan’s defence outreach to counter China’s military rise hits hidden roadblocks

Japan seized the spotlight at last month's Shangri-La Dialogue, stepping into a vacuum left by the Chinese defence chief and using the stage to sharpen its warnings over Beijing's military rise. In May, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced an updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) framework. Beyond acting as a strategic counterweight, Kei Koga, an associate professor at Singapore's NTU, noted that the programme gave Japanese military hardware a vital proving ground.

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