ABSTRACT
The US-Japan alliance has been the cornerstone of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region since the end of World War II. Not only did the US-Japan alliance form the northern anchor for America's Asia strategy, it also provided the security and assurances that allowed Japan to focus on postwar reconstruction and economic development. The power shift has led to Japan's adoption of a 'dynamic defence' capability that 'possesses readiness, mobility, flexibility, sustainability, and versatility'. This dynamic defence approach has three prongs: effective deterrence and response, stabilization of the Asia-Pacific security environment, and efforts to improve the global security environment. Cloud cooperation could be used to enhance the cooperation desired in the US-Japan alliance. In addition, cloud cooperation could allow Japan itself to proceed steadily but incrementally as it grows more comfortable with and capable of increasing its regional role.
