“As we remember Japan’s aggression in the Pacific, we need to ask ourselves this question: is the remilitarisation of Japan, which is presently under way, truly a good idea? We need to be careful that short-sighted, self-serving leaders do not end up bringing us again face-to-face with a remilitarised Japan,” she wrote.
In a statement to This Week in Asia, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, “We would like to refrain from commenting on every statement made by Ms. Gabbard, who was a private citizen at the time [she made the comments].
“While we do not evaluate every foreign government appointment, we will continue to closely follow the composition of the incoming administration with great interest,” the statement added. “We aim to build a strong relationship of trust and cooperation with the incoming administration and elevate the Japan-US alliance to new heights.”
Born in Samoa, Gabbard was a member of the Democratic Party representing Hawaii in Congress before losing in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. She left the Democratic Party in 2022, citing differences on foreign policy and social issues, before joining the Republican Party in 2024.
