Since the end of World War II, Japan has been tied to the U.S. as a treaty ally. In exchange for military protection, Japan has renounced it right to war and currently hosts over 55,000 U.S. troops. While this strategic bargain has served Japan well in a region largely dominated by the U.S. military presence, Japanese security has become increasingly challenged by new threats and shifts in the balance of power. Even more so, the growing fear in Tokyo of an unreliable U.S. security partner has revived fundamental questions of the U.S.-Japan alliance. The purpose of this thesis, thus, aims to offer an original framework to evaluate Japan's alliance security dilemma. I ask important questions, such as: how does a security-dependent country gain greater autonomy in a U.S. security alliance? Why has Japan pursued certain security policies, separately or linked from the U.S.? And how have Japanese policymakers been able to alter the status-quo of the Alliance? Finally, I offer a Dependent-Engagement Framework to argue how even in a U.S. security-dependent alliance, Japan has been able to expand its national autonomy and security through engagement with the United States.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Author-supplied Keywords","value":["U.S. security partnerships","Deterrence","Force layout","East Asia security","U.S.-Japan alliance","Japanese security","Alliance politics"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 23872