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zation and Regionalization, warns that Japan-

ans, Filipinos, and Malays much more favor-

ese anxiety over security is shaped by Japan's

ably disposed than are Koreans. The Chinese

dependence on the United States and that

are not eager to see the emergence of a strategic

Japan is thereby trapped in the "dilemma of

competitor in Asia. From the perspective of

abandonment."98 It would be neither moral nor

political and military leaders in Beijing, a

"proper" role for the Japanese SDF would have

wise for the United States to precipitously aban-

little if any impact on the regional balance of

don Japan, but no one is advocating such a

power.

course. Rather, the time has come for a realistic

China's path over the past 30 years has

assessment of both countries' core strategic

been marked by increased economic liberal-

aims, and this reassessment will facilitate

ization combined with some (albeit halting)

progress toward an equitable alliance and away

political reform. But there is still a long way

from the patron-client relationship.

to go. Common economic interests within

American taxpayers have obligingly assumed

Asia may lead to China's peaceful integration

the considerable costs and risks of defending

into the region. Or China could turn away

Japanese interests, but the United States should

from its current course of political and eco-

not continue to subsidize Japan's defense indefi-

nomic liberalization and revert to economic

nitely, as it did throughout the Cold War. Even

autarchy imposed by military force. It is even

before the events of 9/11, the U.S. military was

possible that China could become a revision-

straining under the burdens of global obligations

ist power, no longer content to accept region-

that did not match its capabilities. The wars in

al security configurations in their present

Iraq and Afghanistan have only exacerbated those

form. That could occur even if the PRC holds

pressures. Both Tokyo and Washington must rec-

to a course of economic reform. Against

ognize the new strategic environment and begin

those unlikely but dangerous possibilities,

planning for the substitution of Japanese for U.S.

East Asian countries might wish to adopt a

military power where appropriate.

hedging strategy that would allow for the

U.S. policymakers must take an accurate

emergence, in the meantime, of other region-

accounting of the strategic realities in East

al powers capable of balancing against a ris-

Asia, and the political developments within

ing China.

Japan, and recognize that the United States

Japan is the one regional power best suited

need not indefinitely sustain its dominant

to play this role. Japan is a stable and mature

position in the region. Given the clear and

democracy. The pre­World War II era, when an

present danger posed to Japan by the North

imperial Japan attempted to secure an exclu-

Korea nuclear program, and in the medium

sive economic sphere for itself, is long past. The

to long term by China's rising power, now is

Japanese people have demonstrated a consis-

the time for Washington to encourage Japan's

It is highly

tent aversion to the use of force and an equally

departure from an obsolete posture of depen-

unlikely that a

strong determination to maintain firm civilian

dence.

new strategic

control over the nation's military. It is highly

Meanwhile, latent American and East Asian

unlikely that a new strategic relationship

fears of a resurgent Japan should be calmed by

relationship

between the United States and Japan, one that

the commitment of the Japanese to the princi-

between the

affords Japan a place within the international

ples enshrined in their constitution--even a con-

community consistent with its economic,

stitution modified to reflect Japan's emergence

United States

political, and military strength, would open

as a full-fledged sovereign state. Although there

and Japan

the door to Japanese militarism that has

is a remote possibility that Japan's transition to

would open

remained dormant for nearly 60 years.

"normal" country status could eventually lead

to resurgent nationalism, or even revanchism,

the door to

The Danger of U.S. Obstructionism

Japan's underlying democratic values and a tra-

Japanese

Christopher Hughes, an analyst at Warwick

dition of anti-militarism cultivated since the end

militarism.

University's Center for the Study of Globali-

of World War II point strongly in the opposite

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