The U.S.-Japan Security Alliance Relationship in the Post-Cold War Era (1989-2000)

• Main Authors: Shu-kang Ku, 顧叔剛
• Other Authors: I-hsin Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2001
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/85269431837004331182

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 美國研究所 === 89 === The aim of the thesis is to probe the security alliance relationship between U.S. and Japan in the post-Cold War era by applying two methods, which are theory-confirming method and document analysis. Through the author’s integration and discussion of two groups of theories (international system theory and alliance theory, international cooperation theory and interdependence theory), three hypotheses and four crucial variables were derived from that. The author also intended using them to analyze the continuity or discontinuity of the U.S.-Japan alliance, the new interaction among U.S., Japan, and PRC, and its possible impacts on the alliance after the end of Cold War. The findings of the thesis are that first the change of the international system has had a deep influence on the U.S.-Japan security alliance relationship, and secondly this relationship is closely related to whether there is a threat outside of the alliance and also chiefly confined to the rise or fall of both alliance members’ economic strength. In the late 1980s, the military threat from the Soviet was alleviating; therefore, the U.S.-Japan alliance lost its enemy and did not know where to go. Meanwhile, within the alliance something was going on. Japan’s economy was nearly at its peak, and, by sharp contrast, the U.S. economy was on the wane. Consequently, United States was unable and unwilling to play the role as the “world police”. This led to some adjustments for correcting the previously unequal “patron-client” alliance relationship between U.S. and Japan. In the process of adjustment, two crises happening in Korean Peninsula andTaiwan Strait prevented the alliance from falling apart. Coincidentally, there were some changes taking place in both U.S. and Japan. Compared with the U.S. economy which has been bouncing back since 1992, the bubble economy in Japan burst into recession in the early 1990s. This was also conducive to bridging the gap within the alliance. In a nutshell, the U.S.-Japan security alliance rejuvenated again due to the emergence of new threats and the reshaping of each alliance members’ economic strength, and the alliance relationship tended to be more equal under the new framework after 1996. As far as the new interaction with PRC is concerned, the U.S. and Japan still regards PRC as the major threat though both governments are engaging with PRC regime. It is highly unlikely for U.S. and Japan to “contain” PRC because of the lack of incentives and cooperation from other countries, and it does more harm than good to U.S. and Japan in doing so. In fact, three parties share some common interests on many agendas if they collaborate with one another. It is undoubted that there are some divergences existing among them. For U.S. and Japan, both countries hope at least they can openly and frankly discuss these divergences with PRC and effectively manage the damage resulting from them to the lowest degree. To sum up, it is undeniable that PRC is a rising power, and the only thing perhaps U.S. and Japan can do is to take part in the process of PRC’s transformation and exert some influences on that. Eventually, U.S. and Japan hope to see that someday a powerful but responsible and democratic “China” will be given birth. Nevertheless, before that day comes, U.S. and Japan have to take precautions against PRC for the time being, and that is the main reason why the U.S.-Japan security alliance still remains in the post-Cold War era.