China’s navy (PLA-N) has a large potential to become a real “blue-water” navy and could become a strong competitor for the US navy supported by Japan’s navy (JMSDF). In order for the JMSDF and the US navy to cope with China’s challenges, new strategic initiatives will be required such as a Fleet Ballistic Missile Defense posture to protect US reinforcement crossing the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. Without this capability, the two nations’ efforts to protect capital naval assets by intercepting PLA’s anti-ship ballistic missiles known as “carrier killer” will end in vain and accelerate China’s aggressive maneuvers under its anti-access and area defense strategy known as A2AD. However, chokepoints are China’s Achilles Heel, and they can be blocked by adversary forces preventing PLA-N fleets from operating outside of the semi-closed South and East China Seas. Japan and the United States could realize chokepoint control through regional cooperation among like-minded nations. China would then face serious problems in building the PLA-N as a real blue-water navy. Japan and the United States will need to counter China’s strategy by precise coordination and focusing, which is the chokepoints.