McConnell Remarks On U.S.-Japan Alliance And Providing For Common Defense
‘…Japan is an essential partner in the security of the Indo-Pacific. But its leaders also understand the global nature of the threats facing sovereign states, free societies, and free markets today… Deterring linked threats isn’t a task America has to face alone. But as we encourage our allies to continue their own modernization efforts, we have to lead.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) submitted the following remarks today regarding Prime Minister Kishida’s address to Congress. Below is the text as prepared for delivery:
“Today, a joint session of Congress welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Kishida to the Capitol.
“The importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance is front-and-center at a critical moment. As I said earlier this week, Japan is an essential partner in the security of the Indo-Pacific.
“But its leaders also understand the global nature of the threats facing sovereign states, free societies, and free markets today. As the Prime Minister’s office put it ahead of this week’s visit, today’s security environment is, quote, ‘as severe and complex as it has ever been’ and that ‘from the Japanese viewpoint, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not a faraway European question.’
“In other words, Japan understands that the challenges we face can’t be dealt with one at a time. Last year, approved the largest ever budget for its own self-defense forces. And it’s in the process of acquiring nearly 150 fifth-generation F-35 fighters and investing in long-range counterstrike capabilities to enhance deterrence.
“Meanwhile, Japan also provides significant economic assistance to countries across Asia who may otherwise be vulnerable to the PRC’s coercion or aggression.
“And at the same time, Japan was the third largest financial contributor to Ukraine last year.
“Our ally is facing linked threats simultaneously. But Japan is not an anomaly. Across the region, America’s closest regional allies like Australia and South Korea understand the PRC poses the greatest long-term strategic threat to a free and open Indo-Pacific. But they also understand that what happens in Europe or the Middle East in the near-term matters an awful lot to Asia.
“To meet these growing security challenges, our Indo-Pacific allies are making substantial commitments to grow their defense budgets.
“Similarly, as our European allies grow increasingly concerned about the PRC, their combined spending rose by 9.5%.
“This is encouraging progress. But our allies still look to America to lead. And our own defense spending is not keeping pace.
“Four times, President Biden has submitted defense budget requests that would have amounted to net cuts after inflation. And even if Congress prevails in passing an emergency national security supplemental, a 1% growth cap on next year’s spending will still constrain our ability to meet growing threats.
“We have to be honest about the urgent requirements of replenishing stockpiles, expanding defense industrial capacity, and modernizing our forces.
“Deterring linked threats isn’t a task America has to face alone. But as we encourage our allies to continue their own modernization efforts, we have to lead.
“That means deepening technology cooperation and trade with our most advanced allies – similar to what we’ve promised to do with AUKUS, an agreement that we must implement with urgently and sincerity.
“It also means reforming our sluggish, bureaucratic foreign military sales process to help more allies upgrade their capabilities by buying modern American equipment.
“But most of all, maintaining our influence and advancing our global interests means taking our own national defense responsibilities seriously.
“Our fundamental Constitutional obligation is to provide for the common defense. And it will fall to Congress in the months ahead – as we consider the NDAA and FY25 defense appropriations – to make the investments that sustained American leadership requires.”
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Related Issues: National Security, China, Ukraine
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