Kuala Lampur, Oct. 24 -- As Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi is expected to bring a sharper, more hawkish security outlook - especially toward China and North Korea. Yet her incoming administration is poised to consolidate Japan's strategic partnership with the United States as the cornerstone of East Asia's stability, a continuity seen in every Japanese government since the end of the Cold War.

With a de facto "Cold War II" under way, Tokyo cannot afford complacency. Even as opposition groups like Komeito insist that regional tensions are exaggerated, their split from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) - ending a 26-year coalition - signals a decisive shift in Japan's political landscape.

An alliance as anchor of det...