link to article:https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2021/11/04/commentary/world-commentary/aukus-japan-future/
Summary: Since September 15th when Australia announced that they will be forgoing their submarine deal with France and instead go with a deal with the United States and the United Kingdom that will provide Australia with high grade nuclear submarines. This deal between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom is known as AUKUS. This agreement angered France but with the delays and cost overruns that were constant problems with the previous deal with France made the deal with US and the UK all the more appealing. Japan, a fellow ally in the Indo-Pacific region, greatly welcomed this news as these Submaines will help the allies of the United States fight off China who is becoming more and more of a threat to these countries’ safety. This agreement has also sparked more talks about if supplying Japan with their own nuclear submarines is possible in the future. Japan however questions if they really need them and if their defense budget can allow for them. Even if Japan was keen on having them it’s unknown if the US would agree to it as they say they offer this technology only to “forever friends”.
Analysis: Australia made the correct choice in changing deals. In this day and age where technology is advancing at light speed those old regular powered submarines weren’t going to do much against any competent military. However these new and technological advanced nuclear powered submarines will help not only Australia but all of the Indo-Pacific regions fight against the ever-growing China. This deal however is sparking up talks about supplying Japan with these submarines as well. Which Japan doesn’t sound like they want or can afford to get them. There is also the concern that the US has that if they sell these subs to Japan and then Japan and the US having a falling out of sorts then Japan now has our advanced tech. The people that we have offered these subs to our part of the main group of Allies that shares information with the United States. This group has the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. These countries are the “Forever Friends” that the US was referring to in the article.
How this relates to class: This shows different approaches to the Collective Goods Problem. With Australia we have a more shared bond with them and as such we have trust in them and can offer them this deal without major worry of them betraying us and using our technology against us. Japan however we don’t have the same shared bond. With Japan we are allies as long as we both benefit from it but as soon as one loses the benefits we could very much turn on each other. Because of this not exactly mistrust but worry for the future of things we aren’t nearly as open to sharing these advanced subs with them in case they do switch allegiances and we don’t want to be fighting our own technology