NEWS & EVENTS

Dr. Toshi Yoshihara, “Dragon Against the Sun: Chinese Views of Japanese Seapower”

On April 6, Dr. Toshi Yoshihara, Senior Fellow at Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, discussed the Sino-Japanese military balance, specifically the naval balance of power. Japan has been a leading local sea power for the past century, however, the recent displacement of Japan by its regional neighbor has led to a tectonic shift. Dr. Yoshihara noted that this power transition at sea has become a historic moment introducing more instability, and further stressing the US-Japan alliance and intensifying the Sino-Japanese regional rivalry. In fact, in the last decade, the Chinese Navy has overtaken Japanese maritime services in measuring important powers such as fleet size, gross ton, and firepower, and many Chinese strategists believe that China’s commitments and ambitions in the waters of Asia can be achieved.

Looking forward, policymakers should continue to pay more attention to and anticipate changes in the balance of Asian naval power as Japan’s relative decline at sea weakens the deterrence of the alliance of US and Japan and undermines its ability to maintain a free international order. Following Dr. Yoshihara’s presentation, Dr. Kent Calder moderated the conversation and opened the floor to questions.