The U.S.-Japan Alliance in the World

Abstract

The current security environment in the Indo-Pacific region pressures the U.S. and Japan policymakers to strengthen the alliance beyond its military origins. We recognize the threat that Russia and North Korea continue to pose to the security landscape, but we focus primarily on China as the region’s most assertive actor. Previous attempts at engaging China have not stopped its expansionist and coercive tendencies. As the region’s most assertive actor, China works to amplify its domination in the region by bolstering its military capabilities, empowering its economic and technological investments, and leveraging its coalitional frameworks. As such, augmenting efforts in these three spheres will be invaluable for the United States and Japan in maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region.