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| Comments by Donald Trump Draw Fears of an Arms Race in Asia | Comments by Donald Trump Draw Fears of an Arms Race in Asia |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| HONG KONG — Donald J. Trump’s suggestion that Japan and South Korea should take more responsibility for their defense, including possibly developing their own nuclear weapons, has provoked worries in Asia about the potential for a regional arms race. | HONG KONG — Donald J. Trump’s suggestion that Japan and South Korea should take more responsibility for their defense, including possibly developing their own nuclear weapons, has provoked worries in Asia about the potential for a regional arms race. |
| Thousands of United States troops are stationed in Japan and South Korea as part of mutual defense treaties. The arrangement puts American forces close to China and Russia and on the front lines of any possible conflict with North Korea. The allegiances are often described as cornerstones for regional defense. | Thousands of United States troops are stationed in Japan and South Korea as part of mutual defense treaties. The arrangement puts American forces close to China and Russia and on the front lines of any possible conflict with North Korea. The allegiances are often described as cornerstones for regional defense. |
| Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, said in an interview on Friday with The New York Times that he would be open to withdrawing American forces from Japan and South Korea if those countries were not willing to pay more to keep those forces stationed in their countries. “I would not do so happily, but I would be willing to do it,” he said. | Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, said in an interview on Friday with The New York Times that he would be open to withdrawing American forces from Japan and South Korea if those countries were not willing to pay more to keep those forces stationed in their countries. “I would not do so happily, but I would be willing to do it,” he said. |
| Government press officers in Tokyo and Seoul, the South Korean capital, offered muted responses, citing the continuing United States presidential campaign. But some newspapers in Asia were vehement in denouncing Mr. Trump’s comments in their opinion pages. | Government press officers in Tokyo and Seoul, the South Korean capital, offered muted responses, citing the continuing United States presidential campaign. But some newspapers in Asia were vehement in denouncing Mr. Trump’s comments in their opinion pages. |
| The South Korean mass-circulation daily JoongAng Ilbo called Mr. Trump’s comment on the possible pullout of American troops “shocking.” | The South Korean mass-circulation daily JoongAng Ilbo called Mr. Trump’s comment on the possible pullout of American troops “shocking.” |
| “His remarks totally shake mutual trust — the most pivotal element in the alliance,” it said. “If he ever becomes president, it will most likely affect the decades-old alliance between Seoul and Washington.” | “His remarks totally shake mutual trust — the most pivotal element in the alliance,” it said. “If he ever becomes president, it will most likely affect the decades-old alliance between Seoul and Washington.” |
| Mr. Trump indicated that he might support Japan and South Korea in developing nuclear arsenals, rather than relying solely on the United States. “At some point, we cannot be the policeman of the world,” he said. “And unfortunately, we have a nuclear world now.” | Mr. Trump indicated that he might support Japan and South Korea in developing nuclear arsenals, rather than relying solely on the United States. “At some point, we cannot be the policeman of the world,” he said. “And unfortunately, we have a nuclear world now.” |
| That suggestion has raised concerns that it might lead to an arms race, with Japan and South Korea building nuclear weapons to counteract the threat from North Korea, which has tested atomic devices. | That suggestion has raised concerns that it might lead to an arms race, with Japan and South Korea building nuclear weapons to counteract the threat from North Korea, which has tested atomic devices. |
| “Trump’s comments not only completely violate the international consensus of preventing the expansion of nuclear weapons, but use long-ago abandoned Cold War thinking to challenge the trend of peaceful development and harm stability in East Asia,” Wen Wei Po, a Hong Kong newspaper, said in an editorial on Monday. | “Trump’s comments not only completely violate the international consensus of preventing the expansion of nuclear weapons, but use long-ago abandoned Cold War thinking to challenge the trend of peaceful development and harm stability in East Asia,” Wen Wei Po, a Hong Kong newspaper, said in an editorial on Monday. |
| Cheong Seong-chang, a senior analyst at the Sejong Institute of South Korea and a leading proponent of the country’s arming itself with nuclear weapons, said he found support for his own ideas in Mr. Trump’s comments. | Cheong Seong-chang, a senior analyst at the Sejong Institute of South Korea and a leading proponent of the country’s arming itself with nuclear weapons, said he found support for his own ideas in Mr. Trump’s comments. |
| “Now that the leading Republican candidate is talking about letting South Korea arm itself with nuclear weapons and withdrawing American troops from here, we should no longer avoid discussing nuclear armament as one of our survival strategies,” Mr. Cheong said. | “Now that the leading Republican candidate is talking about letting South Korea arm itself with nuclear weapons and withdrawing American troops from here, we should no longer avoid discussing nuclear armament as one of our survival strategies,” Mr. Cheong said. |
| Asked about Mr. Trump’s remark on the possible withdrawal of troops from South Korea, Moon Sang-gyun, a spokesman for the South Korean Defense Ministry, said it was inappropriate for him to comment on a statement by an American presidential candidate. | Asked about Mr. Trump’s remark on the possible withdrawal of troops from South Korea, Moon Sang-gyun, a spokesman for the South Korean Defense Ministry, said it was inappropriate for him to comment on a statement by an American presidential candidate. |
| “What I can tell you is that the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains firm under the mutual defense treaty, and that there is no change in that position and principle,” Mr. Moon said during a news briefing on Monday. | “What I can tell you is that the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains firm under the mutual defense treaty, and that there is no change in that position and principle,” Mr. Moon said during a news briefing on Monday. |
| Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said Tokyo would maintain its policy of not developing or possessing nuclear weapons. | Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said Tokyo would maintain its policy of not developing or possessing nuclear weapons. |
| “Whoever becomes president, the Japan-United States alliance is the cornerstone of Japan’s foreign policy,” Mr. Suga said at a regularly scheduled news conference. “We will work closely with the United States for the sake of the prosperity and security of the Asia-Pacific region and the world.” | |
| Some more-hawkish public figures in Japan seized on the comments to press the case for loosening constitutional restrictions on the military, a path that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has advocated. | |
| “Trump’s rise is a big chance for Japan to change the peace-addled notion that America will protect us,” Toru Hashimoto, the former mayor of Osaka and founder of the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party, wrote on Twitter. | “Trump’s rise is a big chance for Japan to change the peace-addled notion that America will protect us,” Toru Hashimoto, the former mayor of Osaka and founder of the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party, wrote on Twitter. |