In the ever-changing global landscape marked by the shift away from traditional alliances, a new geopolitical development has emerged with the fusion of elements of the ‘Quad’ alliance with AUKUS, consisting of Australia, the UK, and the US. Originally established to provide new submarines to Australia as a defense against China’s influence in the South China Sea, the addition of Japan into this new alliance is now being discussed. With India’s credibility waning and Japan experiencing a resurgence on the world stage, Japan’s potential inclusion in AUKUS raises questions about its alignment with the cultural and structural similarities of the current member countries.
Interestingly, the commonality shared among Japan and the AUKUS countries is their status as ‘golf states.’ Golf, often associated with Anglo-Saxon and bourgeois roots, serves as a unique identifier in geopolitics. With close to 40,000 golf courses around the world, the prevalence of golfing facilities in countries like the US, Japan, the UK, Canada, and Australia signifies a certain level of wealth and excess within these nations. The latest reports of soaring luxury golf club membership fees in Florida suggest a strong local economy and potential wealth peak in the US, mirroring past trends seen in Japan during its economic heyday in the late 1980s.
Reflecting on Japan’s economic history, the country experienced a period of remarkable growth in the 1980s, symbolized by the exponential rise in golf club membership fees, which were even traded as assets. However, the bubble eventually burst, leading to a decline in the golf industry and a shift towards new economic trends. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a major player in the world of golf, with its lavish investments in prize money and appearance fees. Nevertheless, signs of a potential retreat from these extravagant ventures suggest a growing disorder in the wealth effect in certain regions of the world.
As geopolitical alliances continue to evolve in the Interregnum era, the incorporation of Japan into the AUKUS alliance represents a significant shift in the global power balance, especially in response to China’s growing influence. The common bond of golf among these countries serves as a unique identifier of wealth and excess, highlighting the evolving socio-economic landscapes within the member nations. With economic indicators pointing towards potential wealth peaks in countries like the US and Japan, the shifting dynamics of the golf industry further reflect the changing global order and the impact of socio-economic trends on geopolitical alliances. Ultimately, the inclusion of Japan in the AUKUS alliance underscores the complex interplay between cultural similarities and geopolitical strategies in the post-globalization world.
