"The US-Japanese Alliance in a Global Context" by Dr. Thomas U. Berger | Tokyo

The Sasakawa Peace Foundation invited Dr. Thomas U. Berger, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, Boston University, on the theme of "The US-Japanese Alliance in a Global Context: Prospects and Perils for an Enduring Partnership" in Tokyo on December 12th, 2012. Despite the frictions over Futenma and anxiety over US support on the Senkaku's, in certain respects, the alliance is in very good shape. Cooperation between the two sides is as close as ever. The US commitment to Asia appears as strong as ever. Moreover, the strategic concern of the two sides may be converging. As the US grows more concerned about hedging against Chinese bellicosity, Japan is becoming more serious about its territorial defense. Yet, beyond these positive trends and developments, Dr. Berger discusses that there loom serious short and long term problems. He emphasizes that serious work will be needed to make sure that this tremendously important and successful partnership will continue to function in the future. The US-Japanese alliance is at an important juncture again, arguably the most important, and in some ways most difficult, since the end of the Cold War. Dr. Berger joined Boston University in 2001. Previously, he taught for seven years at Department of Political Science, the Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of War, Guilt and World Politics After World War II, Cultures of Antimilitarism: National Security in Germany and Japan and is co-editor of Japan in International Politics: Beyond the Reactive State. His articles and essays have appeared in numerous edited volumes and journals, including International Security, Review of International Studies, German Politics and World Affairs Quarterly.