Tokyo’s Pivot Turns The Pacific Balance

Japan expects that President Xi will prioritize the contested islands after Taiwan.

December 17, 2022 . 7:33 AM

2 min read

Pacifist Japan set to double military spending. Japan's government approved a major defense policy overhaul on December 16, including a significant spending hike, as it warned China poses the "greatest strategic challenge ever" to the country's security. (Photo - YouTube Screenshot )

The year 2022 has turned out to be another landmark in world history. The year saw a war in a developed country, on the continent of Europe, after decades. North Korea boosted its missile capabilities. Iran inched closer to a nuclear weapon, dragging its feet with the Nuclear Deal revival. And China, under the third-term President Xi Jinping, continued its saber-rattling, breaching Taiwan’s airspace multiple times and stoking tensions in its neighborhood.