Dynamic economic growth in Asia coupled with Japan’s rise as an economic superpower, the waning of American global dominance, and the demise of the Soviet Union have altered the foundations upon which Japan-US ties stood in the cold war era. Although the two nations continue to share many common goals, economic disputes, the lack of strong political leadership in Japan, and the possible resurgence of Japan as a military power threaten the future stability of the region.
This book stresses the importance of the Asian region to the United States. It examines major issues facing the United States and Japan, such as the latter’s closed markets, huge trade surplus, and dependence on the United States for military security. It also addresses the possibility of future conflict between the two nations and probes the effects on their relationship of the dynamic changes that are taking place elsewhere in Asia, such as the growing might of China. It calls for developing multinational economic and security mechanisms for managing conflict, and suggests policies that the United States should pursue to promote stability and economic cooperation in the region.
The book was compiled as background reading for a program sponsored by the American Assembly, an institution affiliated with Columbia University that focuses on US policy. The program, held near New York City in 1993, was cosponsored by the Japan Center for International Exchange.
Contents
- 1. Introduction
- Gerald Curtis, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University
- 2. The United States and Japan in Asia: A Historical Perspective
- Akira Iriye, Professor of American History, Harvard University
- 3. Trading with an Ally: Progress and Discontent in US-Japan Trade Relations
- Merit E. Janow, Senior Research Associate, East Asia Institute, Columbia University
- 4. China and the Japanese-American Alliance
- Michael Oksenberg, President, East-West Center
- 5. Asian Regionalism and US Interests
- Bruce Stokes, International Economics Correspondent, National JournalC. Michael Aho, Senior International Economist and Vice President, Prudential Securities, Inc.
- 6. Southeast Asia and US-Japan Relations
- Charles E. Morrison, Director, Program on International Economics and Politics, East-West Center
- 7. Japan as Number One in Asia
- Ezra F. Vogel, National Intelligence Officer for East Asia and the Pacific, National Intelligence Agency, on leave from Harvard University where he is Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences.
- 8. US Military Forces in East Asia: The Case for Long-Term Engagement
- Thomas L. McNaugher, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies Program, Brookings Institution
- 9. Meeting the Challenge of Japan in Asia
- Gerald L. Curtis
