Abstract
This article discusses Japan's pro-US position in the Iraq War of 2003. This was an anomaly in Japanese Middle East policy, which is normally characterized by its balancing between Middle East oil interests and its alliance with the United States. The article explains why the US tie was prioritized over links with Iraq and other Middle East states, why Japan actively promoted US war policy and how Japanese policy-makers overcame public opposition and constitutional constraints in deploying Japanese troops in Iraq. It argues that Japanese policy-makers' perceptions of unchallengeable US international dominance and the expectation of US success in regime change in Iraq determined their preferences, while the personal popularity of the Japanese prime minister was important in allowing them to prevail.
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