| Summary: | 博士 === 國立成功大學 === 政治經濟研究所 === 102 === This research attempts to explore the dynamics of the U.S.-Japan alliance strategic adjustment after the Cold-war from the perspective of balance of threat theory. This paper is an analysis searching for an answer to U.S.-Japan changing security and defense ploicy, and its implications for East Asia in issues like the evolution of the U.S.-Japan alliance, the perception of China’s threat, the North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile threats. It will attempt to give sufficient explanations as to why U.S.-Japan changing security and defense policy and what factors are contributing to the change.
Stemming from these studies, the finding show that: (1) The U.S.-Japan alliance is the cornerstone for stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region. Though it is a bilateral treaty in its nature, the U.S.-Japan security cooperation has unique impact and importance in regional security environment; (2) An alliance presupposes an enemy. If the enemy disappears, there is going to be a question as to whether the alliance will continue to exist. As a result of the Soviet Union’s collapse, the rationale for the U.S.-Japan alliance has lost much of its validity and can no longer serve as the sole basis for the security relationship. However, some scholars argue that the conclusion of the Cold War struggle has not made Japan more secure at all, military threats have increased visible in areas around Japan. These threats include the test firing of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons program by North Korea, and rising China’s miliatry buildup. These incidents are of great concern to U.S.-Japan security planners. After these analyses, the research argues that the rising China’s military power, North Korea’s nuclear program and missile threat are the great concern to U.S.-Japan planners, and contributing to the strategic adjustment.
Therefore, in this search, it is discovered that in the future development of the U.S.-Japan alliance, the balance of threat theory would keep playing the leading role. In response to ‘China as a potential’ and the intensified threats by North Korea, Japan has transformed its security policy in terms of strengthening U.S.-Japan security in regionalsecurity, smoothing operations of the Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) and a missile defense program. When increasingly consolidate U.S.-Japan alliance, Taiwan should pay close attention to all aspects of polltics, military and economics, and make necessary adjustment to avoid pushed to the edge and strive for the best interest.
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