{ "id": "RL33740", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL33740", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 607344, "date": "2019-06-13", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T18:17:00.995578", "title": "The U.S.-Japan Alliance", "summary": "The U.S.-Japan alliance has long been an anchor of the U.S. security role in Asia and arguably a contributor to peace and prosperity in the region. Forged during the U.S. occupation of Japan after its defeat in World War II, the alliance provides a platform for U.S. military readiness in the Pacific. About 54,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan and have the exclusive use of 85 facilities. In exchange for the use of these bases, the United States guarantees Japan\u2019s security. \nSince the early 2000s, the United States and Japan have improved the operational capability of the alliance as a combined force, despite constraints. In addition to serving as a hub for forward-deployed U.S. forces, Japan now fields its own advanced military assets, many of which complement U.S. forces in missions like antisubmarine operations. The joint response to a 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan demonstrated the increased interoperability of the two militaries. Cooperation on ballistic missile defense and new attention to the cyber and space domains remains ongoing.\nThe U.S. Military in Japan:\n54,000 troops with the exclusive use of 85 facilities\n/\nJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a stalwart supporter of the alliance and has had notable success on his ambitious agenda to increase the capability and flexibility of Japan\u2019s military. Abe\u2019s dominance over Japanese politics since his election in late 2012 has created opportunities for more predictable alliance planning. Although constitutional, legal, fiscal, and political barriers hinder further development of defense cooperation, Japan is steadily expanding its capabilities and, subtly, its attitude toward the use of military force, which is constrained by the Japanese constitution.\nJapan faces a complex security landscape in the region, with potentially significant implications for the alliance. North Korea\u2019s increased ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities pose a direct threat to Japan. Both Japan and the United States view China\u2019s growing power (especially military power) and territorial assertiveness in the East China Sea and elsewhere as a destabilizing force that diminishes U.S. influence and erodes longstanding norms in the region. Japan has pursued security cooperation with others, including Australia, India, and several Southeast Asian countries, both bilaterally and within the context of the U.S.-Japan alliance. Of particular concern to the United States is the tense Japan-South Korea relationship, which has prevented effective trilateral coordination. Without cooperation among its allies, the United States may find itself less able to respond to North Korean threats or to influence China\u2019s behavior.\nLimited resources could strain alliance capabilities as well as produce more contentious negotiations on cost-sharing. The Japanese government currently provides nearly $2 billion per year to offset the cost of stationing U.S. forces in Japan, in addition to purchasing millions of dollars of U.S. defense equipment annually. Furthermore, the alliance has faced new strains in recent years. U.S. President Donald J. Trump\u2019s open skepticism of the value of U.S. alliances and his admiration of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have exacerbated longstanding anxiety in Tokyo about the U.S. commitment to Japan\u2019s security.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33740", "sha1": "fb818aaed682a209fa90a8ec7f14f2fa79158bd3", "filename": "files/20190613_RL33740_fb818aaed682a209fa90a8ec7f14f2fa79158bd3.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33740_files&id=/4.png": "files/20190613_RL33740_images_2d931a9cb98b3ac5b4b5aa92dfde3632dac07c02.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33740_files&id=/3.png": "files/20190613_RL33740_images_f74de0e906df8a2ca858894954b7b85703ef5765.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33740_files&id=/2.png": "files/20190613_RL33740_images_b93e8f11e8f4bca66f05db21244bebfcda0800b2.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33740_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190613_RL33740_images_3a0a18158bf672c4f8236438821672d46e36b03e.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33740_files&id=/1.png": "files/20190613_RL33740_images_519a456e5c16d884f3fae00869bf7b20ec7f97f3.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33740", "sha1": "0d95bbde568715fded9be2c41b0b10c39624c2f9", "filename": "files/20190613_RL33740_0d95bbde568715fded9be2c41b0b10c39624c2f9.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4911, "name": "East Asia & Pacific" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 454735, "date": "2016-07-27", "retrieved": "2016-11-28T21:51:22.331099", "title": "The U.S.-Japan Alliance", "summary": "The U.S.-Japan alliance has long been an anchor of the U.S. security role in Asia. Forged in the U.S. occupation of Japan after its defeat in World War II, the alliance provides a platform for U.S. military readiness in the Pacific. About 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan and have the exclusive use of 85 facilities. In exchange for the use of these bases, the United States guarantees Japan\u2019s security. Security challenges in the region, particularly nuclear and missile tests by North Korea and increased Chinese maritime activities, have reinforced U.S.-Japan cooperation in recent years. The vitality of the alliance is particularly salient as the Obama Administration renewed the U.S. focus on the Asia-Pacific region through a strategic \u201crebalancing.\u201d The U.S.-Japan alliance, missing a strategic anchor since the end of the Cold War, may have found a new guiding rationale in shaping the environment for China\u2019s rise.\nSince the early 2000s, the United States and Japan have taken significant strides in improving the operational capability of the alliance as a combined force, despite constraints. In addition to serving as hub for forward-deployed U.S. forces, Japan fields its own advanced military assets, many of which complement U.S. forces in missions like anti-submarine operations. The joint response to a 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan demonstrated the interoperability of the two militaries. Cooperation on ballistic missile defense and new attention to the cyber and space domains has also been strong. Japan\u2019s own defense policy has evolved, and major strategic documents reflect a new attention to operational readiness and flexibility.\nSteady progress on an initiative to realign U.S. forces based in Japan has been overshadowed by the failure to resolve difficult basing issues on Okinawa, the major U.S. forward logistics base in East Asia. About 40% of all facilities used by U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) and half of USFJ military personnel are located in the prefecture, which comprises less than 1% of Japan\u2019s total land area. The sustainability of the U.S. military presence on Okinawa remains a critical challenge for the alliance. The long-delayed plan to relocate Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area of Okinawa encountered further obstacles in the first half of 2016.\nJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a strong supporter of the alliance and has had notable success on his ambitious agenda to increase the capability and flexibility of Japan\u2019s military. Abe\u2019s dominance over Japanese politics since his election in late 2012 has created opportunities for more predictable alliance planning. However, constitutional, legal, fiscal, and political barriers prevent a significant expansion of defense cooperation. Many of Abe\u2019s initiatives have faced opposition from the public and from political parties. In addition, leaders in China and South Korea distrust Abe because of his past statements on Japanese actions in the World War II era. Suspicion from Beijing and Seoul complicates Japan\u2019s efforts to expand its security role.\nJapan faces a complex security landscape in the region. North Korea\u2019s increased asymmetric capabilities pose a direct threat to Japan. A territorial dispute with China over a set of islets in the East China Sea raises the risk of military escalation, a scenario that could trigger U.S. treaty obligations to defend Japan. Japan has pursued security cooperation with others in the region, including Australia, India, and several Southeast Asian countries. Of concern to the United States is the tense Japan-South Korea relationship, which has prevented effective trilateral coordination. Without cooperation among its allies, the United States may find itself less able to respond to North Korean missile threats and to influence China\u2019s behavior.\nBoth Japan and the United States face significant fiscal challenges. Limited resources could strain alliance capabilities as well as produce more contentious negotiations on cost-sharing. The Japanese government provides nearly $2 billion per year to offset the cost of stationing U.S. forces in Japan.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33740", "sha1": "8ea1efdc4932be7500528aa8d19ed8167371d48f", "filename": "files/20160727_RL33740_8ea1efdc4932be7500528aa8d19ed8167371d48f.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33740", "sha1": "7359ce42f2d6b64c8f930b0b1ed2f0e120ef5d76", "filename": "files/20160727_RL33740_7359ce42f2d6b64c8f930b0b1ed2f0e120ef5d76.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4911, "name": "East Asia & Pacific" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 449616, "date": "2016-02-09", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T17:14:06.342487", "title": "The U.S.-Japan Alliance", "summary": "The U.S.-Japan alliance has long been an anchor of the U.S. security role in Asia. Forged in the U.S. occupation of Japan after its defeat in World War II, the alliance provides a platform for U.S. military readiness in the Pacific. About 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan and have the exclusive use of 85 facilities. In exchange, the United States guarantees Japan\u2019s security. Security challenges in the region, particularly nuclear and missile tests by North Korea and increased Chinese maritime activities, have reinforced U.S.-Japan cooperation in recent years. The vitality of the alliance is particularly salient as the Obama Administration renews its focus on the Asia-Pacific region through a strategic \u201crebalancing.\u201d The U.S.-Japan alliance, missing a strategic anchor since the end of the Cold War, may have found a new guiding rationale in shaping the environment for China\u2019s rise.\nSince the early 2000s, the United States and Japan have taken significant strides in improving the operational capability of the alliance as a combined force, despite constraints. In addition to serving as hub for forward-deployed U.S. forces, Japan provides its own advanced military assets, many of which complement U.S. forces in missions like anti-submarine operations. The joint response to a 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan demonstrated the interoperability of the two. Cooperation on ballistic missile defense and new attention to the cyber and space domains has also been strong. Japan\u2019s own defense policy has continued to evolve, and major strategic documents reflect a new attention to operational readiness and flexibility. \nSteady progress on an initiative to realign U.S. forces based in Japan has been overshadowed by the failure to resolve difficult basing issues on Okinawa, the major U.S. forward logistics base in the Asia-Pacific. About 25% of all facilities used by U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) and over half of USFJ military personnel are located in the prefecture, which comprises less than 1% of Japan\u2019s total land area. The sustainability of the U.S. military presence on Okinawa remains a critical challenge for the alliance. Congressional leaders have raised concerns about the cost of relocating marines from Okinawa to Guam and restricted funding for the realignment as a result.\nJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a strong supporter of the alliance and has had notable success on his ambitious agenda to increase the capability and flexibility of Japan\u2019s military. Japanese politics have stabilized after five years of divided rule, creating opportunity for more predictable alliance planning. However, constitutional, legal, fiscal, and political barriers exist to significantly expand defense cooperation. Many of Abe\u2019s initiatives have faced opposition from the public and from political parties. In addition, leaders in China and South Korea distrust Abe because of his past statements on Japanese actions in the World War II era. Suspicion from Beijing and Seoul also complicates Japan\u2019s efforts to expand its security role. \nJapan faces a complex security landscape in the region. North Korea\u2019s increased asymmetric capabilities pose a direct threat to Japan. A territorial dispute with China over a set of islets in the East China Sea raises the risk of military escalation, a scenario that could trigger U.S. treaty obligations to defend Japan. Japan has pursued security cooperation with others in the region, including Australia, India, and several Southeast Asian countries. Of concern to the United States is the tense Japan-South Korea relationship, which has prevented effective trilateral coordination. Without cooperation among its allies, the United States may find itself less able to respond to North Korean missile threats and to influence China\u2019s behavior.\nBoth Japan and the United States face significant fiscal challenges. Limited resources could strain alliance capabilities as well as produce more contentious negotiations on cost-sharing. The Japanese government provides nearly $2 billion per year to offset the cost of stationing U.S. forces in Japan.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33740", "sha1": "f57298553038ea0980583e5eaea930e846c3f847", "filename": "files/20160209_RL33740_f57298553038ea0980583e5eaea930e846c3f847.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33740", "sha1": "6ad8548ec3fd3cde11291c54c2a1431c6500b5c4", "filename": "files/20160209_RL33740_6ad8548ec3fd3cde11291c54c2a1431c6500b5c4.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 278, "name": "China, Taiwan, and Mongolia" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 280, "name": "Korean Peninsula and Japan" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810173/", "id": "RL33740_2013Dec12", "date": "2013-12-12", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The U.S.-Japan Alliance", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20131212_RL33740_8e2fb394a0de376daa9d8fc2e763692879e1fb2a.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20131212_RL33740_8e2fb394a0de376daa9d8fc2e763692879e1fb2a.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810601/", "id": "RL33740_2011Jan18", "date": "2011-01-18", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The U.S.-Japan Alliance", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110118_RL33740_f4b2d1f1322118150adb87055797d7de0bcf25ed.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110118_RL33740_f4b2d1f1322118150adb87055797d7de0bcf25ed.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc700570/", "id": "RL33740_2009Jul23", "date": "2009-07-23", "retrieved": "2015-08-27T16:20:31", "title": "The Changing U.S.-Japan Alliance: Implications for U.S. Interests", "summary": "This report examines policy changes that have driven actual and proposed shifts in the alliance between the U.S. and Japan. Key features of the proposals include a reduction in the number of U.S. Marines in Japan, the relocation of a controversial Marine air base in Okinawa, expanded cooperation in training and intelligence sharing, and command structure changes.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090723_RL33740_0562cc219829c979d9baccf4b053bc8adfd42edb.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090723_RL33740_0562cc219829c979d9baccf4b053bc8adfd42edb.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Japan", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Japan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Japan -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Japan -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National security", "name": "National security" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc822702/", "id": "RL33740_2008Jan10", "date": "2008-01-10", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The Changing U.S.-Japan Alliance: Implications for U.S. Interests", "summary": "This report examines policy changes that have driven actual and proposed shifts in the alliance between the U.S. and Japan. Key features of the proposals include a reduction in the number of U.S. Marines in Japan, the relocation of a controversial Marine air base in Okinawa, expanded cooperation in training and intelligence sharing, and command structure changes. The report concludes with a number of potential options for U.S. policymakers to protect U.S. security interests in the Asia Pacific. Those options include further bolstering Japan\u2019s military, reducing the U.S military presence in the region, encouraging Japan to focus on international peacekeeping and reconstruction operations, developing trilateral defense cooperation, and creating a security forum in northeast Asia.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080110_RL33740_7febf9116e06d1426a24b463fba35dfa58a0158e.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080110_RL33740_7febf9116e06d1426a24b463fba35dfa58a0158e.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Japan", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Japan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Japan -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Japan -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National security", "name": "National security" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Asian Affairs", "Constitutional Questions", "Foreign Affairs", "National Defense" ] }