A liberal vision for the US-Japanese alliance

Abstract

To ensure its longevity and usefulness, the US-Japanese alliance must become as close and as balanced, and principle-based, as the US-UK special relationship. This requires the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to expand their military missions beyond national defence and deterrence to operations inspired by liberal principles. These missions include the maintenance of navigational freedom, humanitarian relief, hostage rescue, non-combatant evacuation operations, peacekeeping, counter-piracy and counter-terrorism efforts, and the prevention of humanitarian tragedies. In turn, the US should welcome greater cooperation with Japan in crisis decision-making. Tokyo and Washington should also work, as a long-term goal, towards a multilateral collective-security arrangement for the Asia-Pacific region that includes China.