"At the mercy of China": The US shows that its plans do not include protecting its allies

The international community has entered a "new era of crisis" - this is how the current situation in the world is characterized in Japan's annual defense report, which was approved by the country's government last week. The document defines China as "the greatest strategic challenge Japan has ever faced." According to the authors of the report, the global balance of power is changing dramatically, and competition between countries is becoming more apparent. "In particular, competition between the United States and China is intensifying," it says .

The report contains a tough assessment of the security situation in the region around Japan. It recognizes that "the international community is facing the greatest challenges since the end of the war" and that the problems, especially pronounced in the Indo-Pacific region where Japan is located, are likely to become even more serious in the future.