Shinzo Abe: Friend or Foe of the United States?

Robert Dujarric analyzes whether Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s policies made him an asset or a liability for U.S. interests. On balance, Dujarric finds Abe to be a “friend.” He strengthened the U.S.-Japan alliance by increasing Japan’s defense budget, purchasing advanced American weapons, and championing collective self-defense – all steps welcomed by Washington in sharing regional security burdens. Abe also took a firm stance against China’s assertiveness and North Korea’s threats, aligning closely with U.S. strategic objectives in Asia.

However, the article also notes that Abe’s nationalist streak – such as visiting Yasukuni Shrine in 2013 or equivocations on wartime history – occasionally put the U.S. in an awkward position with South Korea and China. These moves, aimed at Abe’s domestic base, sometimes forced Washington to do damage control to maintain regional harmony. Dujarric suggests that while Abe’s overall cooperation and pro-U.S. orientation solidified him as a valuable partner, the U.S. had to quietly discourage some of his more controversial nationalist actions. In sum, Abe is characterized as strongly pro-American in security matters (“foe” to shared adversaries), yet a potential diplomatic irritant when his conservative ideology clashed with the U.S. goal of regional unity.