The continued centrality of the United States to Japan’s security doctrine in an era of expanding security partnerships

The United States remains the central, irreplaceable security partner to Japan. What has driven Japan to seek out new security partners in the region is not a move away from the United States but an expansion of Japan’s security-provider role in the region, which comports with a strategy Washington long has pressured Japan to pursue: to deepen its contributions within the broader alliance network the United States has maintained in Asia despite the end of the Cold War. Japan has emerged as a more valuable US ally as a result of its expanded security partnerships.