The Kuroshio Extension (KE) axis index defined by the leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode of subsurface temperature exhibits prominent interannual to decadal variations, which is consistent with that defined by SSH data. Previous studies proposed that these variations are primarily caused by westward propagation of the baroclinic Rossby waves, which carry the SSH and temperature anomaly due to the wind stress curl anomaly near 150°-160°W. However, it is shown that the SSH and temperature anomaly does not match the wind stress curl anomaly in the eastern/central North Pacific. Here we re-examine the relationship between variations of the KE axis and the wind stress curl through time-leaded correlation analysis and model experiments. Our results indicate that local wind stress curl west of the date line rather than the wind stress curl in the eastern/central North Pacific dominates the interannual to decadal variations of the KE axis.