US-Japan Alliance in the 21st Century

The year 2004 marked the 150th anniversary of the signing of the first treaty of peace and amity (Treaty of Kanagawa) between the United States and Japan - a treaty which over time has both bloomed and failed, and falls into three phases, each lasting for a period of approximately fifty years. Phase one, which began in a context of force majeure but ended positively, lasted until the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5; phase two began positively with the Treaty of Portsmouth which followed, but ended disastrously with the outbreak of the Pacific War; phase three began in 1952 with the San Francisco Peace Treaty and continues today. The author, who offers a significant Japanese view of the alliance as both a scholar and high-ranking military officer, explores the history, but also poses the question, what will be the relationship for the next fifty years. Through a close analysis of the nature of alliances, current issues and specific case studies, including the impact of a possible peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula, he concludes that for the long-term stability of the Asia Pacific region, a continuing interdependent relationship between Japan and the US is a sine qua non. Fumio Ota is a Vice Admiral (ret'd) of the Japanese Naval Defense Forces, and until recently, was Director of Japan's Defense Intelligence Headquarters.