US diplomat arrives in Tokyo, eyes closer ties to counter China

TOKYO(Japan): The new US Ambassador to Japan, George Glass has expressed a strong desire to collaborate closely in curbing China’s military and economic ambitions, as reported by Japan Times. Glass arrived in Tokyo on Friday.

He also conveyed “extreme optimism” about the prospects of securing a trade agreement with Japan, despite recent US-imposed tariffs on its key Asian partner.

According to Japan Times, the diplomat stated that one of Washington’s main goals for deeper cooperation will be to counter Beijing’s “predatory habits,” including not just its lending practices but also its efforts to bypass trade rules.

The comments were made as media reports suggest that US President Donald Trump’s administration intends to leverage ongoing tariff talks to push US trading partners to reduce China’s role in their economies in return for trade benefits, Japan Times cited.

Glass also emphasized that security, along with economic collaboration and strengthening the US-Japan alliance, would be among the top three priorities during his tenure as ambassador.

According to Japan Times, he highlighted,” We’ll be working very hard but you also have to look at the safety of Americans, American interests, American companies and take into account the safety of Japanese citizens. Our military has all the issues taken care of and all the materials that they need to be able to successfully push back against a country like China.”

Glass stated that Washington is prioritizing the safety of both American and Japanese citizens, while ensuring the military is fully equipped and supported to address potential threats from Beijing.

Japan hosts the largest overseas presence of US troops, including fighter jet squadrons and the only forward-deployed American aircraft carrier strike group. In recent years, Tokyo has launched a significant military expansion and partnered with Washington on multiple initiatives aimed at improving coordination between their armed forces and defense industries, reflecting deepening strategic and security ties. (ANI)