Japan’s rising party doesn’t trust America — or China

At the same time, however, the party has also questioned the Japan-US Security Treaty, arguing that the Self-Defence Forces should be reorganised into a “Self-Defence Military” and that Japan should defend itself independently. The term “Asian NATO”, previously used by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, has also been used by the Sanseito’s leader. Unlike the ruling LDP, which firmly supports the Japan-US security alliance, the Sanseitō takes a sceptical stance toward it.