Trump's 'America First' causes concern about U.S. commitment to defense of Japan

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

Whoever wins the U.S. presidential election in November, the alliance with Washington will remain the linchpin of Japan’s diplomacy, say Japanese officials. But with his campaign slogan “America First,” a victory by Republican Party nominee Donald Trump may crate sources of concern about the U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan.

As Trump criticizes the Japan-U.S. security treaty for being “one-sided,” foreign policy advisers to the GOP presidential candidate have indicated a Trump administration would re-evaluate it and negotiate for an increased share by Japan of the costs for its defense by U.S. forces.

“Just like our defense alliances, trade deals need to be re-evaluated so that they actually make sense for both parties,” said Joseph Schmitz, a foreign policy and national security adviser to Trump. “Sometimes deals over time change based on circumstances that weren’t anticipated by the parties.”

Schmitz was referring to the need to review alliances and free trade agreements involving the United States as he spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the four-day Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, that ended Thursday.

Citing Trump’s threat to withdraw U.S. forces from Japan and South Korea and his controversial remarks to allow them instead to go nuclear for self-defense, Walid Phares, another foreign policy adviser to Trump, said separately that the White House hopeful’s intention is to “negotiate” with the two Asian allies for a substantial increase in their contributions to the costs for defense by the U.S. military.

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http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/trumps-america-first-causes-concern-about-u-s-commitment-to-defense-of-japan