The relationship between the United States and Japan is “stronger than it has ever been,” President Joe Biden said as he welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Washington, D.C., on April 10. The two declared their military and economic unity as they face a looming threat from a common enemy: China.

“The Ukraine of today may be the East Asia of tomorrow,” Kishida said. He praised America’s “indispensable” role in keeping Ukraine from crumbling under Russia’s onslaught and urged it to do the same in East Asia, where China is encroaching on Taiwan and other nations surrounding the South China Sea.

To better face the Chinese dragon, Japan and the U.S. unveiled a long list of promising agreements—over 70 items.

First of all, the countries plan to restructure the U.S. military command in Japan. The current three-star commander overseeing U.S. forces in Japan has no authority over Japanese troops; replacing him with a four-star commander would lay the groundwork for a unified command.

The two will also cooperate with Australia to develop a new air missile defense network, while working with Britain to perform trilateral military exercises. They will also establish a “military industrial council” that will produce missiles and jet trainers and use artificial intelligence to train pilots.

To push back against China’s “escalatory behavior” in the South China Sea, the U.S. said it is also considering involving Japan in the aukus security pact, a 2021 agreement with Britain and Australia to construct and deploy nuclear submarines.

Another notable development is that Japan will become part of nasa’s Artemis space program. The plan calls for the U.S. to take a Japanese astronaut to the moon in 2026 in exchange for a lunar rover built by Toyota. The astronaut would become the first non-American to set foot on the moon.

Biden and Kishida also revealed major economic agreements, including a plan by Microsoft to invest $2.9 billion in Japan in artificial intelligence, a $1 billion Google investment to improve digital communications and a near-$8 billion investment by Toyota for electric car battery production in America. Two American and two Japanese universities will partner to research AI, funded by $110 million in investments from nvidia, Amazon, SoftBank, Microsoft and other large companies.

America’s decision to make so many agreements with Japan may seem sound since the Japanese appear to share the U.S.’s worldview in some notable ways. But history shows this is a deeply worrying development.

It took the U.S. two atomic bombs to halt Japan’s fanatic war machine at the end of World War ii, after which the Americans occupied Japan and drafted a new constitution. The new law included Article 9, which states that the Japanese people “forever renounce war” and would never use force as a means of settling international disputes. Article 9 states that “land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.”

However, Japan’s pacifism is a facade. Over the past few decades, successive governments have chipped away at the constitutional restraints, gradually remilitarizing the country. They have done the exact opposite of what the Constitution says. And America has supported it.

Japan’s military spending has increased by over 50 percent over the last two years, hitting a record $53 billion budget for 2024. It is currently the 10th-largest military spender in the world, and a great deal of its weapons are purchased from the U.S.

In January, the U.S. signed a deal to sell 400 Tomahawk missiles to Japan. Last August, it approved selling Japan up to 50 air-to-surface missiles with extended range. The Japanese are also amassing a fleet of nearly 150 of America’s F-35 fighter jets and building state-of-the-art warships. Japan is also beginning to deploy missiles with the technical capacity and legal authority for preemptive strikes. Since early last year, the two have been working together to develop a hypersonic missile interceptor.

The new list of deals will further enable Japan’s military might.

Some might say it is logical for the U.S. to forge stronger ties with Japan to counter China’s belligerence and lust for world dominance. Since there are larger, more intimidating powers on the world scene, one could argue it is necessary for Japan to remilitarize with America’s help. But the sure word of Bible prophecy indicates America’s support for Japan will backfire dramatically.

About 2,700 years ago, the Prophet Isaiah wrote about a massive trade bloc that would emerge just before Christ’s return. He called it “a mart of nations” (Isaiah 23:3). Verse 1 shows Chittim will be a leading nation in this bloc. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has explained that Chittim, or Kittim, is an ancient name for China. “After their migration through Central Asia, the Kittim made their appearance in modern-day northeastern China and Mongolia under the name of Khitan in the fourth century a.d.,” he writes. (To learn more, order a free copy of Isaiah’s End-Time Vision.)

Isaiah 23 names “Tyre” as another power in this mart of nations. Mr. Flurry explains that this city represents “the commercial center” of Europe today:

[H]ere in Isaiah, the Bible refers to Tyre (and its allies Zidon, etc) as the commercial center of this European power. By understanding the spiritual and the commercial powers, you can understand what a colossus is rising in Europe.

Note, however, that this prophecy also mentions “Tarshish” (verses 1, 6, 10, 14), which in this context is a name for Japan. Mr. Flurry continues:

Herbert W. Armstrong’s Ambassador College taught over 40 years ago that Tarshish is Japan in Bible prophecy for today. So [verse 14] is referring to the supertanker fleet of Japan. Even in 1980, you could see one of these tankers every 25 miles on the high seas. The Japanese are the inhabitants of the “isle,” or island, of Japan (verse 2).

An associated prophecy in Ezekiel 27 also mentions Tarshish, along with other ancient names referring to modern-day Russia (Tubal and Meshech).

Japan, China, Russia and Europe are all mentioned as part of this trade alliance. America is not. Why? Because this mart of nations will form against America. The Scriptures indicate that these nations come together to besiege America economically and freeze it out of world trade. “And what a dynamic market of nations it is,” Mr. Flurry writes. “All of them are going to besiege America, Britain and the Jewish nation.”

These prophecies reveal that by signing dozens of military and economic deals with Japan, America is actually strengthening a nation that will contribute to a massive anti-American trade bloc. Japan will use its power against the U.S.

Japan, together with China, Russia and other nations will likely strengthen Europe so that it can attack the U.S. Mr. Flurry continues:

[W]e believe there may be a brief alliance between the German-led Holy Roman Empire and certain Asian powers (Russia, China, Japan—the kings of the east). Should Europe, the resurrected Holy Roman Empire, find a way to take advantage—even for a moment—of key resources and strategic holdings of China, Russia and Japan, it would have more than enough power to besiege the Anglo-Saxon nations and enslave them.

Other prophecies show that Japan will not only betray its friend by contributing to America’s economic downfall, but will eventually give its military might to China and Russia despite its current distrust and rivalry.

Revelation 16:12 discusses an Asian army called “the kings of the east” that will form right before the return of Jesus Christ. This army will be comprised of a stunning 200 million soldiers (Revelation 9:16). In Ezekiel 38 and 39, the Bible shows that Russia and China will lead this force. Ezekiel 38:6 adds that “Gomer” and “Togarmah” will join this alliance, ancient names for the people of Japan.

If Japan witnesses a fierce European superpower destroy its main ally, the United States, it will quickly realize its chances of survival are higher if it combines with this enormous Asian bloc. Japan’s survival instinct will prompt it to betray the United States.

This Asian superpower will be the most devastating war machine mankind has ever seen. Revelation 16 shows that it will clash with the only other power left: the Holy Roman Empire in Europe. The destruction these armies wreak will be far worse than anything in World War ii: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

But there is good news.

Revelation 17:14 reveals what will happen to these armies: “These shall make war with the Lamb [Jesus Christ], and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Christ will permanently destroy these evil armies. There will be no more conflict and betrayal between nations. Christ will establish His government on Earth, through which all of mankind can experience peace, prosperity and happiness.

Request our free booklet Russia and China in Prophecy to understand these prophecies in greater detail.