According to observation, Japan is expected to participate in the AUKUS of security cooperation frameworks (AUKUS) in Australia, Britain, and the United States.
AUKUS is a security framework established in Australia and the United States in September 2021. The cooperation content consists of two pillars.The first is the US -British cooperation to help Australia with attack nuclear submarines.The United States, Britain, and Australia have developed a new type of US-British and Australian nuclear submarine (SSN-AUKUS) without nuclear weapons. It is expected that the Australian and British troops will be equipped.In addition, since 2027, the U.S. British nuclear submarine will be deployed alternately at the Royal Navy Ship Starlin Base.By the early 2030s, Australia will purchase three Virginia -class nuclear power attack submarines, and the United States will also help train Australian crew.
The second pillar is jointly developing cutting -edge technologies to improve defense capabilities.The United States, Britain, and Australia will jointly develop cutting -edge technologies such as hypersonic speed, electronic warfare, artificial intelligence, quantum communication, quantum computers, and applications.Regarding the second pillar, the United States, Britain, and Australia said that they will promote cooperation with like -minded countries.In the joint statement of the AUKUS Defense Chief Conference in April, Japan's technical advantages were mentioned and the bilateral defense partnership between Japan and the Three Kingdoms, and "whether to invite Japan to participate in cooperation in the development of advanced capabilities in the second pillar."EssenceAUKUS countries actually call on Japan to participate in the second pillar cooperation.
So far, the Japanese government has not explicitly stated whether to participate in the second pillar of Aukus.However, in the joint statement of the Japan -US -Macao Defense Ministers held in May, the three defense ministers said that "recognizing the security guarantee and stability of the AUKUS partnership to play a positive role".AUKUS's second -pillar development advanced ability project cooperation ".
It can be said that the Japanese government is actively discussing the cooperation participating in the second pillar because it helps strengthen Japan's security capabilities.
Around the international order in the future, competition between the United States and China will become more intense.The technology that can bring the development of military strength and change the rules of the game has become one of the main battlefields for competition among great powers.China mobilizes military and civilian resources on a large scale, develops cutting -edge technologies, and strives to lead the United States.In contrast, democratic countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia, and Japan do not have the options for mobilizing national resources. Therefore, cooperation and sharing development technology in various countries are the most effective way to fight against China's competition.For Japan, which is difficult to win with China, it is difficult to win, and promoting the cutting -edge technology cooperation with AUKUS countries is of far -reaching significance to strengthening defense capabilities.
In addition, it is also important to participate in the AUKUS affairs for the "free and open Indian Pacific" initiative promoted in Japan.The U.S., Britain, and Australia agrees with this initiative to share benefits with Japan in the international order in maintaining rules -based international order.At present, a multilateral cooperation framework with the goal of achieving the "free and open Indian Pacific Ocean" has frameworks such as Japan, Australia, Japan, the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United States, and Australia (QUAD), Japan, the United States, Australia and Fei.Participation, this is different from other.
Japan actively participates in AUKUS, prompting Britain to strengthen the security guarantee affairs in the region, and can further multi -layered frameworks in the region.
China criticizes the expansion of AUKUS with the goal of building the "Asian version of NATO".However, AUKUS is completely different from the military alliances of mutual defense.In addition, the possibilities of Japan and other countries have no possibility of participation in the development and cooperation of the first pillar of nuclear submarine.Other countries can participate in AUKUS are limited to the second pillar.Therefore, even if the country involved in AUKUS has increased, it will not have the function of the NATO military alliance.
In the cooperation of cutting -edge technology, in addition to Japan, it will also drive other countries to share the "free and open Indian Pacific" countries.South Korea, Canada, Germany, Italy, etc. are also expected to participate.In the future, AUKUS will be used as "AUKUS-PLUS", and participation in Congress will gradually increase.
The author is the theoretical research director of the Japanese Institute of Defense
