The Challenges Of The U S Japan Military Arrangement

This is an in-depth analysis of the U.S.-Japan security alliance and its implications for Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. It moves away from the official line that the alliance is a vital aspect of Japan's security policy and introduces issues and arguments that are often overlooked: American security policy has failed to achieve its goals; Japan's interests are not fully served by the alliance; the alliance itself is a source of instability in the region; and the arrangement has placed constraints on Japan's own political development. The author measures current developments in U.S. foreign policy against Japan's role in the region and Japan's own political development. He assesses the consequences of the alliance for the current regional situation in Northeast Asia, looks at future policy options for Japan, and makes the case for a neutralist security policy.

This is an in-depth analysis of the U.S.-Japan security alliance and its implications for Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. It moves away from the official line that the alliance is a vital aspect of Japan's security policy and introduces issues and arguments that are often overlooked: American security policy has failed to achieve its goals; Japan's interests are not fully served by the alliance; the alliance itself is a source of instability in the region; and the arrangement has placed constraints on Japan's own political development. The author measures current developments in U.S. foreign policy against Japan's role in the region and Japan's own political development. He assesses the consequences of the alliance for the current regional situation in Northeast Asia, looks at future policy options for Japan, and makes the case for a neutralist security policy.

Only of late has defense "burden sharing" emerged as a key issue in U.S.-Japanese relations. This monograph examines the legal, political, economic, and attitudinal constraints inhibiting the Japanese from contributing more to their defense. Includes discussion on the legal obligation of burden sharing; indicators of contribution to defense; legal, policy, and political constraints; Japan's defense contribution and some initiatives for increased burden sharing; and U.S. strategy to influence Japan's contribution. Charts and tables.

During the cold war, the U.S.-Japan alliance was at the core of American presence, power, and prestige in the Asia-Pacific Region. When the Cold War ended, many questioned whether the alliance would continue to serve U.S. and Japanese interests. In the late 1990s the United States and Japan answered that question with a formal reaffirmation of the security treaty and the upgrading of bilateral guidelines for defense cooperation. But the alliance has also faced new challenges: domestic opposition to U.S. bases in Okinawa; Chinese criticism of a stronger U.S.-Japan security relationship; and growing international frustration with Japan's economic policies. The alliance remains crucial to both nations' interests, but the management of bilateral security ties has become far more complex. The U.S.-Japan Alliance: Past, Present, and Future explains the inner workings of the U.S.-Japan alliance and recommends new approaches to sustaining this critical bilateral security relationship. The authors are scholars and practitioners who understand where the alliance came from, how it is managed, and the strategic decisions that will have to be made in the future.

President Trump’s longstanding skepticism toward US alliances and the coming negotiations over Japanese support for American troops in Japan could strain the relationship. Despite the challenges ahead, Americans remain supportive of the US military presence in Japan and say the US-Japan relationship strengthens US security. Key findings: A majority of Americans (57%) say the United States should maintain or increase its military forces in Japan. Americans’ rating of Japan’s global influence has risen slightly over the past year to an average of 5.9 out of ten, up from 5.7 in 2018. Eight in ten Americans (78%) say the US relationship with Japan strengthens US national security. While a majority of Americans continue to oppose using US troops in a conflict between China and Japan over disputed islands (55%), support has risen steadily in recent years and is now at an all-time high (43%).

The release of Japan’s three strategic documents in December 2022 was a watershed moment in Japanese foreign and defense policy and the beginning of a new chapter for the U.S.-Japan alliance. In many ways, these changes built on incremental shifts over the past decade or so. At the same time, such declarations would not have been possible without the recent and unprecedented recognition, at both the elite and popular levels, of the major security challenges Japan faces from China, North Korea, and Russia. In response to these threats, Japan has decided to comprehensively strengthen its military power. These actions could be interpreted as hedging behavior in reaction to the unpredictability of the American political system. But ultimately, the new capabilities will create opportunities for strengthening the alliance. Ultimately, Japan’s defense transformation offers an opportunity for Washington to work closely with Tokyo to strengthen the alliance and prepare it to meet the treacherous geopolitical landscape it faces in the years ahead.

This book examines the major security and related issues between the United States, Japan and North Korea (officially, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea - DPRK). Although focusing mainly on current issues, this book also provides sufficient historical background to enable readers to appreciate the many nuances that have been ignored by policymakers, analysts and the media. Where appropriate, the book examines the security interests of other nations in Northeast Asia, specifically South Korea, China and Russia. The central purpose of the book is to objectively analyze the policymaking processes of Washington, Tokyo and Pyongyang with respect to the DPRK's nuclear weapons and other important security issues, and ultimately to provide practical ways to improve the security environment in Northeast Asia. Ongoing security-related issues include nuclear missile testing by the DPRK; its removal from the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism, and the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents that occurred during the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike other books, which typically take the position that North Korea is a rogue state run by an irrational, belligerent and autocratic leader, this book reveals the fundamentals of Pyongyang’s security concerns in the region. This book will be of great interest to students of North East Asian politics, Asian security studies, US foreign policy and Security Studies/IR in general.