Japan Left Waiting As $7.2BN US Arms Deliveries Stall, Ukraine Prioritized

After nearly four years of the Russia-Ukraine war, and the US having throughout poured billions into Kiev’s military and civic services sector, there are signs that other American allies are experiencing extreme delays in pre-scheduled arms shipments because Washington’s priorities are clearly elsewhere.

Israel over the past couple years has also been a high priority, amid its war in Gaza, which resulted in the US fast-tracking some bombs, ammo, and weapons deliveries. But countries like Japan are suffering from extreme delays, at a sensitive moment it is locked in an ongoing diplomatic standoff with China over the Japanese Prime Minister’s Taiwan stance.

Nikkei has referenced a Japanese government internal investigation which found that “118 orders for U.S. military equipment worth 1.14 trillion yen ($7.21 billion) have not been delivered at least five years after the contracts were signed, in some cases forcing the Self-Defense Forces to use older equipment.”

These startling figures were uncovered by Japan’s Board of Audit, and revealed upon completing its formal investigation last Friday.

“The 118 cases pointed out by the Board of Audit include equipment that Japan added to its orders later, and not all of them are delayed deliveries,” the Japan’s Defense Ministry said, adding that ”we will address each of the issues in Foreign Military Sales procurement one by one.”

However, the Japanese government has not speculated as to specific causes or made any accusations of its key arms partner in the West. The Nikkei report, for example cites instances of problems at manufacturing companies, resulting in serious delays of advanced weaponry.

But the report does bring up the question of Washington’s shifting priorities, which can come into play even long after deals with Tokyo are inked:

Even with FMS contracts, deliveries can be delayed if the U.S. side lacks the items in stock. Shipments to Japan can be postponed when Washington determines that delivering equipment would disrupt American military operations.

Japanese opposition parties had expressed concern that deliveries of air defense missiles and other equipment could be delayed due to the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government said it was difficult to comment on such a possibility.

Examples of major military hardware delayed for the island-nation include E-2D early warning and control aircraft. Much of what Japan seeks is indeed defensive in nature, also as it knows it would have to rely heavily on its American ally if some kind of hot conflict were to ever kick off with China.

China has earlier warned Japan will suffer a “crushing” defeat if it ever decided to directly intervene in the Taiwan dispute. Recent years have also seen Beijing’s anger grow after NATO briefly talked about opening an official office in Tokyo, but these plans were soon abandoned.