Grant Newsham Explains How to Enhance Defense Amid Rising China Threat

Security expert Grant Newsham warns Japan must raise its game to meet escalating geopolitical challenges.

As the war in Ukraine grinds on, another crisis is brewing in East Asia. China has ramped up its military pressure near Taiwan and Japan’s southern islands in recent years, raising alarm in both Tokyo and Washington.

With Beijing’s intensifying provocations, one of the most urgent questions facing Japanese and American policymakers is whether their militaries are truly prepared to confront the shifting regional landscape.

In an exclusive interview with JAPAN Forward, retired United States Marine Colonel Grant Newsham offers a candid assessment of Japan’s defense posture and the overhauls needed. Newsham is a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy and was the first Marine liaison to Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.

On Boosting Defense Ties

What is one area where Japan and the US could boost defense ties?

One urgent area for improvement is enabling American and Japanese forces to operate together — and, if necessary, fight — as a unified force. I propose establishing a joint task force in the Nansei Shoto, Japan’s southern islands. This is where the Chinese are making aggressive moves, particularly around the Senkaku Islands.

Right now, the Japanese are responding to Chinese ships in the area or patrolling through and around the Nansei Shoto alone. And that’s not enough. The Chinese aren’t particularly afraid of Japan on its own. With US forces involved, that changes.

The two countries would need to allocate forces, meaning designating specific units from the Marines, Navy, and Air Force to jointly carry out various missions. If both sides were serious about it, this could be up and running in under three months.

Are the two militaries prepared for a joint operation? 

The Japanese Navy is solid. Its relationship with the US Navy should serve as the model for the rest of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in working with US forces. Outside of the two navies, though, the ability to conduct real-world, short-notice operations just isn’t there. And frankly, I haven’t seen much motivation on either side to change that.

That said, the Marines have made real progress in recent years with both the Japanese Army and Navy, especially by working with the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade as a test bed. From the start, there’s been a strong US Marine and US Navy connection. Over the past decade or so, that’s evolved into a solid example of how the American and Japanese sides can come together around a shared mission.

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