The Challenges of the US-Japan Military Arrangement: Competing Security Transitions in a Changing International Environment: Competing Security Transi

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 Japans security policy and introduces issues and arguments that are often overlooked: American security policy has failed to achieve its goals; Japans 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 Japans own political development. The author measures current developments in U.S. foreign policy against Japans role in the region and Japans 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.