A Study of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty in the Post-Cold War era: Changes in the relationship between the U.S. and Japan.

• Main Authors: Ogata Tomoyuki, 緒方智幸
• Other Authors: 歐信宏
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/34315800070410184962

碩士 === 東海大學 === 政治學系 === 88 === The United States became the only superpower in the world, by the end of the Cold War and the Collapse of the Soviet Union. However, there is a general assumption that America''''s new strategies must be carried out with other countries'''' cooperation. Therefore, the U.S. tries to maintain the role of the leader, by influencing other countries with its soft power. Under this circumstance, the U.S. will take the following new strategies on Asia-Pacific region. The strategy will focus on APEC for the economy, and focus on the U.S.- Japan alliance for the military. With this strategy, the U.S. intends to stay in a position of the leader in Asia-Pacific region. On the other hand, Japan maintains reserved position in the international politics, and follows the U.S. policies throughout the cold-war era. Politically, it''''s because the Government party has been under pressure by the opposition of non-government parties and anti-war mood of general public. Economically, it''''s because the Government and the companies didn''''t consider extending activities overseas important because the companies maintain economic structure in which they focus on domestic production. Besides, Japan has been supporting its "peace constitution" so that it never allows Japan to arm too much. However, after the end of the Cold War, the Gulf War, and the Korean Peninsula Nuclear Crisis, both Japan and the U.S. push the National Defense Project in the Post-Cold War era together. "East Asia Strategy Report" was issued in the United States, and "National Defense Program Outline" was issued in Japan. Then, both countries signed on the new "Guidelines for U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation" on September 24, 1997. The new guidelines and related laws created in Japan, different from the Defense Cooperation Standard between Japan and the U.S. to date, states that both countries will try to maintain the security in the Asia-Pacific region and will expand their military strength global through the military operation by the United Nations. This paper will explore how the U.S., who has been a hegemony during the Cold War, and its ally, Japan, are going to reflect there power and national interest in their foreign policies. Therefore, it will discuss the changes in the U.S. hegemony theory during the Cold-War era, and explore its influence in the U.S. strategy in the Asia-Pacific region and the reason why it has to strengthen the allied relationship with Japan in the Post-Cold War era (Chapter 2). Also, it will discuss influence on Japanese foreign policy and the U.S.-Japan alliance, by the changes in Japanese economic structure in 1980''''s and changes in Japanese political systems in 1990''''s (Chapter 3). There are a series of incidents in 1990''''s such as the Gulf War, the Korean Peninsula Nuclear Crisis, the Assault of a girl by U.S. marine soldiers in Okinawa, and the Taiwan Strait Crisis. In the chapter four, it will be analyzed that these incidents had what kind of influence on the reexamination of the new U.S - Japan military cooperation system after the Cold War. Thus, the paper will examine the contents of the defense cooperation in the newly established "guidelines," and analyze the meaning of the new guidelines for both parties (Chapter 5). To sum up, the meaning of redefinition of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty for both Japan and the U.S. will be considered, and the future developmental process the both countries should take will be viewed.