On October 21, Sanae Takaichi completes her first year as Japan's prime minister. Takaichi's first year reached 2 percent of GDP on defense two years early, ended the ban on lethal arms exports and said out loud that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could pull Japan into war. China answered with sanctions. Washington got the ally it wanted.
The Indo-Pacific alliance is no longer a theory: Japan sells 11 Mogami frigates to Australia, the first Japanese F-35s fly over Darwin, and AUKUS submarines will operate from Western Australia in 2027. From Tokyo to Canberra, the free world is arming while America leads, and the think tanks agree the strategy is finally working.
The Japan Australia alliance reached a historic milestone in May 2026 as PM Takaichi visited Canberra. From 11 Mogami-class frigates to shared intelligence, Tokyo and Canberra are building the Indo-Pacific's most consequential middle-power partnership — and China is the reason why.
