Greenland: U.S. Territorial Ambitions Are Anachronistic

Editorial

16:17 JST, January 18, 2026

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed a desire to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark in the Arctic.

The administration’s anachronistic ambitions to seize territory by force, ignoring international norms, is nothing short of appalling.

Greenland is an island covered in snow and ice, about six times the size of Japan. It has a population of slightly more than 55,000 people. As the island is located at a strategic point between Europe and North America, the United States has maintained a military base there under an agreement signed with Denmark after the end of World War II.

Since his first term in office, Trump has repeatedly expressed his aim to acquire Greenland. Recently, he is intensifying this stance, saying, “We do need Greenland, absolutely.”

In response, Denmark has opposed this claim, saying Greenland is not for sale. The Danish foreign minister and self-governing Greenland’s foreign minister met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and others at the White House, but the gap between them remained unbridged.

The Trump administration views the “Western Hemisphere” as its sphere of influence and seeks to expand its interests there. At the beginning of this year, it launched an attack on Venezuela, overthrowing the administration of then President Nicolas Maduro.

The Trump administration has also mentioned the possibility of annexing Greenland by force. On the other hand, it has also said that acquiring the territory by purchasing it is an option. However, backed by overwhelming military power, pressuring other countries and regions into abandoning their territories and then seizing them is contrary to international law.

The United States should respect the sovereignty and territories of other countries and regions. Washington’s aggressive behavior is reminiscent of 19th-century imperialism, during which great powers competed to acquire colonies in pursuit of resources and other interests.

Trump has insisted that it is necessary to eliminate the influence of China and Russia in Greenland and its surrounding areas.

Russia has traditionally had a strong influence in the Arctic Ocean in terms of resource development and maritime transport. In recent years, China has also attempted to expand its presence there.

Due to climate change, temperatures in summer have risen even in Greenland, causing the melting of its thick ice to progress. As a result, it is expected to become possible to mine rare earth elements underground there.

However, amid strong wariness toward Chinese companies, there has been a case in which a license for resource development was revoked. If the United States seeks to strengthen its economic and security influence in Greenland, it needs to gain the understanding of local people through peaceful negotiations.

The Arctic is a strategic sea area that also affects Japan’s security. Japan must continue its engagement to prevent Greenland from becoming a battleground for the major powers of the United States, China and Russia.

 (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 18, 2026)