Annoyed by Mixed Messages

United States started delivering mixed messages. While President-elect Donald Trump stressed his good relationship with Russia, incoming Secretaries of his Cabinet denied positive situation of U.S.-Russian relationship. Taking distance from America First policy, they insisted on importance of alliance. It is inevitable for Shinzo Abe administration to be confused by capricious leadership of its closest ally.

In the confirmation hearing at United States Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, the nominee for Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis, called Russia “principal threat” to U.S. security. “There’s a decreasing number of areas where we can engage cooperatively and an increasing number of areas where we’re going to have to confront Russia,” Mattis told in the testimony.

Trump has been selling himself as a figure being able to cope with Russia, calling his relationship with Vladimir Putin “asset.” Whether or not Mattis is really a “mad dog,” the nominee for next Secretary of Defense contradicted Trump’s basic attitude toward Russia. It should be a complication for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is willing to made two visits to Russia in late April and early September this year. It is possible that Abe’s quick approach to Russia will not be supported by Trump administration.

One good news for Abe administration is supportive messages for U.S. allies. Not following Trump’s America First policy, Mattis insisted on the importance of supporting allies to reinforce U.S. security. He reconfirmed U.S. determination to protect security interest of U.S. and its allies in Asia-Pacific region, mostly following Asia-Pacific policy in Barack Obama administration.

Nominated Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, also made contradiction with Trump’s basic attitude in security issues. Tillerson promised unchanging commitment to North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which Trump had been criticizing as obsolete. Accusing the landfill in South China Sea, Tillerson labeled China as violating international law. He unequivocally announced that Japan-U.S. Security Treaty would be applied to Senakaku Islands, for which China claimed its ownership.

As long as hearing voices of nominees for Secretaries, U.S. policy toward Japan looks to be maintained. But, it is inconvenient truth that Trump was backed by public opinion requiring reduction of U.S. burden for its allies. If U.S. government pushes Japan early settlement of dispute over new Marine airbase in Okinawa, it will ignite further protest from local community. Close cooperation between Japan and U.S. is not so easy.