No Yen for Defense.
Abstract
The security objective of America is to preserve the United States (US) as a free nation at peace, withits fundamental institutions and values intact. The center for world trade is moving east from Europe to Asia and the Pacific Basin. The economic well being of the United States is intrinsically tied to that of East Asia and the Pacific Basin. The primary threat to the US and its friends and allies in East Asia is the Soviet Union, with its ever increasing military presence in the area. To counter the Soviet presence and to contain it, the US must enter into alliances with the East Asia and Pacific Basic nations. Japan lies at the center of these alliances. Japan not only has a mutual security agreement with the US, but is also the world's third greatest economic power. However, because the reaction in Japan to its experiences in World War II, Japan is reluctant to remilitarize. Currently, Japan's interpretation of its constitution permits it to have a self-defense force. A ceiling of one percent of the Gross National Product has been placed on defense spending. This ceiling along with economic competition with the US has caused feelings of protectionism within the US. Efforts to urge Japan to speed up its defense construction and US enactment of protective legislation may cause a rift between the two nations that could weaken the alliance system. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA178121
Entities
People
- Kent V. Radford
Organizations
- Air War College