"Strategy of Anchoring: Japan, the United States, and the International Order under Trump 2.0" - by CWP alum Ayumi Teraoka

This article analyzes Japan’s probable strategic approach toward the second Trump administration through the lens of what I term its “anchoring” strategy, aimed at keeping the United States engaged in Japan’s defense, the Indo-Pacific region, and a rules-based, “free and open” international order. Despite the disruptive and unpredictable nature of Donald Trump’s foreign policy, Japan remains committed to leveraging US power to counter China’s growing influence. Grounded in its grand strategic tradition, Tokyo has adopted—and will likely continue—a pragmatic approach to engaging the Trump administration while increasing defense investments and deepening ties with like-minded partners to safeguard the free and open Indo-Pacific. By situating Japan’s anchoring strategy within its post-2010 historical development, I assess the opportunities and challenges of the Trump 2.0 era and suggest areas of adjustment for Japan’s diplomatic playbook from the first Trump term.

Asian Survey 1–36. - https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2025.2702533

Ayumi Teraoka is concurrently a 2024-2025 Fellow with C&WP and a postdoctoral research scholar at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University, where she studies alliance politics and security issues in the Indo-Pacific, including Japanese foreign and defense policy. Her book project examines the interactive effects of the United States’ alliance management efforts and China’s attempts to weaken U.S. alliances from historical and contemporary perspectives. Dr. Teraoka has received various fellowships and grants, including the Strategy and Policy Fellowship from the Smith Richardson Foundation, the America in the World Consortium Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Clements Center for National Security, and the A.B. Krongard Fellowship from Princeton University. She holds a Ph.D. and an MA in Security Studies from Princeton University, an MA in Asian Studies from Georgetown University, and a BA in Law from Keio University, and previously held positions at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. Teraoka has written for Pacific Affairs, The Japan Times, Foreign Policy, and the Georgetown Journal of Asian Affairs, among others.

Photo Credit: By Vectorised by User:Seloloving from the official logo found at https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/en/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64182602