Take Trump seriously when he bashes Japan-US security treaty

Were Tokyo to pay more for stronger alliance, all of Asia-Pacific would benefit

20190710 G20-SUMMIT/

Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe in Osaka on June 28: Trump told Abe that Japan is a "country of warriors" but asked, "Where is the spirit?" © Reuters

HIROYUKI AKITA, Nikkei commentator

TOKYO -- U.S. President Donald Trump in late June called for changes to what he described as an "unfair" Japan-U.S. security treaty, outdoing any other recent U.S. president in complaining about the decades-old document.

If the Japan-U.S. alliance is shaken, the security of the Asia-Pacific region would be greatly affected. Therefore, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Southeast Asia in no way should look at the issue raised by Trump as someone else's problem.

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