Trump's view of Japan, S Korea defence treaties is wrong, dangerous

US presidential candidate Donald Trump is threatening to renegotiate America's defence treaties with Japan and South Korea. He is intimidating and alienating the two closest US allies in East Asia by using hostile language, and he is potentially jeopardising US strategic interests in the region.

Mr Trump is not alone on this one. From time to time, US presidents have asked US allies to bear a larger share of their defence burden. It is a ghost that keeps reappearing. It forms part of long-standing Republican policy.

In 1969, president Richard Nixon had articulated the Nixon Doctrine, stating that henceforth America's allies would be expected to defend themselves, but the US would still honour its treaty commitments and provide military and economic aid if requested.