The United States and Japan: Asian Roles and the Balance of Power.
Abstract
This memorandum discusses Japan's unique status in the world community as a major power with a minor military force. The author explores Japan's self-defense strategy, its foreign policy objectives, and its present relationship with the United States. He considers possible alternative foreign policy roles for Japan, including the reasons why Japan might decide to become nonaligned, or to ally itself with either China or the Soviet Union, and the effects of such changes on the balance of power and US security. The memorandum concludes that any of these changes would be adverse to US interests and security, but the most serious would be a Japan-USSR alliance. The Military Issues Research Memoranda program of the Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College, provides a means for timely dissemination of analytical papers which are not necessarily constrained by format or conformity with institutional policy. These memoranda are prepared on subjects of current importance in areas related to the author's professional work or interests. This memorandum was prepared as a contribution to the field of national security research and study. As such, it does not reflect the official view of the College, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 20, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA059168
Entities
People
- Joseph S. Curran
Organizations
- United States Army War College