The Australian reports that for years, Singapore’s annual Shangri-La defence summit followed a reliable formula: Washington provided the muscle, regional allies the applause, and Beijing the red lines. Last weekend, Japan flipped that script by using the platform to announce its transition from a pacifist ally to the new linchpin of regional stability, a move that effectively reshapes the security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.
USSC CEO Dr Michael Green's op-ed on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Australia was quoted, saying, "The live fire exercises conducted by Chinese warships around Australia and New Zealand last year gave a small flavour of what Japan’s Navy and Coast Guard have been experiencing for years in the East China Sea and Pacific Ocean."