Japan will continue to face challenges this year, from issues such as the pandemic to foreign affairs and the economy. This is the seventh installment of a series in which authoritative figures in various fields share their thoughts on such topics. The following text was excerpted from remarks by former SDF Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Ryoichi Oriki in a recent interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.
Strategic rivalry between the United States and China will become more intense this year. In the United States, mid-term elections are slated to be held, and Japan and China will mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It will be important for Japan to squarely face the harsh reality of the national security environment and clarify its position.
