Japan has long depended on the United States. After World War ii, its U.S.-imposed Constitution renounced a national army and all war. The U.S. and Japan signed the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, a guarantee that the U.S. would defend Japan with its own troops.

Decades later, Japan is a major military power in its own right, pushing its military beyond its shores, and has little need for the U.S.

Leaving America’s Orbit

In March, Japan announced it would deploy long-range missiles on its southern island of Kyushu—the latest in a series of offensive measures.

Within the past year, the U.S. has allowed Japan to convert multiple naval destroyers into aircraft carriers with the capability of deploying stealth fighters. In 2024, the U.S. agreed to sell nearly 150 F-35 fighters to Japan. That same year, the U.S. sold it hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles. With the support of the U.S., Japan has developed a hypersonic glide vehicle equipped to deploy high-speed strikes on long-range targets.

All of these steps toward a more offensive military were closely backed by the U.S. But the Kyushu missile base was different. It marks the first time the U.S. has not been involved in Japan’s military plans since the end of World War ii.

This latest move comes amid talk of trade war. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs as “extremely disappointing and regrettable,” stating that Japan had done nothing “unfair” to the U.S. The nation is set to take a 0.8 percent blow to its overall growth this year. Ishiba has indicated that he is prepared to visit Trump as soon as possible to work out a deal that lifts these tariffs off Japan.

The U.S. is one of Japan’s biggest trade partners. In 2023, 20 percent of Japan’s exports went to America, and America provided 10 percent of its imports. Japan is the third-largest auto part supplier to the US.. With Trump’s recent 25 percent tariff on auto imports combined with a universal 24 percent tariff on other Japanese products, this close trade relationship could crumble very soon.

President Trump met recently with a team of Japanese delegates to discuss the tariffs, but has not publicly released any plans to lift these tariffs from Japan. With markets in Europe and Asia cratering, it looks like Japan may have to follow the rest of the world and look beyond the U.S. for trade partnerships.

A New Friend

More enduring than Japan’s alliance with America has been its tense relations with China. In its 20th-century days of military fanaticism, the Japanese committed staggering atrocities against hundreds of thousands of Chinese people in the First Sino-Japanese War, as well as in the Second World War.

For years, an increasingly belligerent China has worked to control contested maritime territory near Japan and other Indo-Pacific islands. China has illegally entered Japanese waters and bullied the nation in its own territory.

It’s easy to think these tensions are recent development, but in a 2013 visit to India, former deputy prime minister of Japan, Taro Aso, stated that “for the past 1,500 years and more there has never been a history when our relations with China went extremely smoothly.” In light of the U.S. tariffs, it looks like things are finally starting to smooth out.

On March 22, the foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea met with the goal of uniting over economic and security issues.

On paper, Japan and South Korea are American allies, and China is their enemy. But historic enemies are now willing to lay aside their differences to save their economies. According to Japan’s foreign minister, “Given the increasingly severe international situation, I believe we may truly be at a turning point in history” (emphasis added).

America is becoming less appealing as an ally, so Japan is looking for alternative alliances.

Where It’s Leading

Animosity between enemies is beginning to dissipate thanks, in large part, to President Trump’s isolationism. This developing alliance between Asian nations against the U.S. is prophesied in the Bible. An imminent economic superpower is about to come on the scene, and Japan will be a vital part of that powerhouse.

Isaiah 23:3 prophesies of a “mart of nations,” a trade bloc forged against America in the time just before Jesus Christ’s return. China will hold a prominent position in this bloc. Verse 1 shows that one of the leading nations of this economic alliance is Chittim, referring to China, as Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains in his free book Isaiah’s End-Time Vision.

Another nation is mentioned in this prophecy: the isle of “Tarshish.” Verse 14 says Tarshish owns a prominent naval fleet. In these verses, Tarshish is referring to Japan. Japan has historically been a strong naval power, largely out of necessity due to its location. Mr. Flurry writes:

Herbert W. Armstrong’s Ambassador College taught over 40 years ago that Tarshish is Japan in Bible prophecy for today. So this verse is referring to the supertanker fleet of Japan. Even in 1980, you could see one of these tankers every 25 miles on the high seas. The Japanese are the inhabitants of the “isle,” or island, of Japan (verse 2).

Prophecy in Ezekiel 27 shows that Russia will also be part of this alliance. It will also include Europe.

Japan will be a crucial part in this mart of nations formed against America, putting it under economic siege. Right now, the U.S. remains a close ally to Japan, aiding it in its militarization efforts and acting as a substantial trade partner. The reality of the situation is that America is strengthening a nation that is about to become a dangerous enemy.

Revelation 16:12 prophesies of an Asian power bloc that will split from that mart of nations and from Europe. This is a colossal war machine the Bible refers to as “the kings of the east,” with an army of 200 million soldiers (Revelation 9:16). Japan lends its strength to this army; Ezekiel 38:6 mentions “Gomer” and “Togarmah” as being a part of this bloc, ancient names for the Japanese people.

Our booklet Russia and China in Prophecy states: “Gomer fathered the Japanese people as well as the Cambodians, Thais, Burmese, Laos and Vietnamese. Togarmah also factored into the ancestry of Japan and some of these other nations.”

Ezekiel 38 also shows that Russia and China will be at the head of this Asian power bloc. When you combine the populations of even just these three nations, disregarding other members of this alliance, you can see how a 200 million-man army could easily be formed. Revelation 16 goes on to show that this army will be the most destructive force mankind has ever put together, clashing with the Holy Roman Empire in Europe.

But the Bible also reveals, in Revelation 17, the good news: These armies will be permanently wiped out by Jesus Christ at His return, along with all traces of conflict, war and animosity among nations. With the evil, destructive armies of the world gone, Christ will then establish a government that brings peace and prosperity to the Earth.

For more detail on these prophecies, request our free booklet Russia and China in Prophecy.