Gearoid Reidy, Columnist

A US War with Japan? Only in ‘Captain America’

The latest Marvel movie imagines a potential conflict between two great allies. Even for a superhero flick, that’s outlandish.

February 27, 2025 at 9:00 PM UTC

By Gearoid Reidy

Gearoid Reidy is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Japan and the Koreas. He previously led the breaking news team in North Asia, and was the Tokyo deputy bureau chief.

‘Captain America’ is outlandish, even for a Marvel film.
Photographer: Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty Images

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(Mild spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World follow)

In Walt Disney Co.’s latest Marvel movie, the US is on the brink of war. Not with China, Russia, or even North Korea — but with Japan.