Japan-U.S. alliance

Japan's security independence is advancing under the Trump administration, but Tokyo remains fully committed to the alliance. Will that dynamic hold?

With the 24 percent additional tariffs on Japan suspended for 90 days for negotiations, the U.S. and Japan should approach this moment as a chance to forge a new economic compact.

U.S. maritime power increasingly risks projecting strength without the institutional agility to sustain it.

Despite the good feelings following the first Ishiba-Trump summit, there are major challenges ahead.

Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have cause to be nervous, given some of Trump’s past actions and statements. But their leaders chose to express optimism in their first public reactions.

Ishiba’s call for an “Asian NATO” represents the nexus between the Japan-U.S. alliance and internationalism – both hallmarks of Japanese foreign policy, especially in the post-Cold War era.

Integrating Japan’s counterstrike capability with South Korea’s Three Axis system could strengthen the security of both countries.

The first Ministerial Meeting on Extended Deterrence marked a major turning point in the postwar Japan-U.S. relationship, as the nuclear threat is more intense and imminent than ever before.

The many shared interests between France and Japan should allow them to be very close partners, yet they are not. Why? 

For Japan to be a true “global partner” of the U.S., it needs to closely align its approach to climate change threats with that of its most important ally.

Multiple photos of the Yokosuka-based USS Ronald Reagan were also allegedly taken by a Chinese drone. The authenticity of the footage hasn’t been determined yet.

Japan may not be an immediate problem for the U.S., but our relationship will become a problem if we do not invest in it and the professionals required to foster future cooperation.