Let me add this story from Yomiuri Shimbun: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20031107wo01.htm Japan-U.S. alliance 'stronger than ever' Yomiuri Shimbun
The Japan-U.S. alliance has endured because its purpose has remained valid after the Cold War and has only become stronger since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, according to a panel at a symposium Thursday titled "Redefining Japan and the U.S.-Japan Alliance" sponsored by the Japan Society and The Yomiuri Shimbun.
"The alliance is alive and well, and is in the best shape it has been in recent history," said Michael Armacost, a former U.S. ambassador to Japan. Armacost said the alliance was forged during the Cold War against an adversary, the Soviet Union. But it has endured for several reasons.
"First, some of the reasons for the alliance's existence are still valid. It allows the U.S. to project its power in the Pacific region and it protects our friends and U.S. security," he said.
"Second, the alliance has allowed Japan to obtain security at a lower cost and in a way that is in harmony with its Constitution. Finally, the alliance has provided reassurance to Japan's neighbors," he added.
Masakazu Yamazaki, a playwright, said the United States and Japan share a view of the world and, though Japanese were divided over the alliance: "The ideological differences are gone. Japan is united against terrorism. Only differences in nuance remain."
Makoto Iokibe, a professor at Kobe University, agreed with Yamazaki, saying, "Japanese people understand that the U.S. is the only country that can broker peace in Asia."
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