Harness the Rising Sun

Japan is one of the United States' most important allies, yet relations between the two risk degenerating into serious conflicts over trade and other issues. This book outlines a new vision for U.S.-Japan relations that enables both countries to cooperate to achieve their mutual interests, while minimizing the conflicts that will inevitably arise between them. The new U.S.-Japan strategy must incorporate four critical elements. First, the strategy must be based upon a clear conception of U.S. national interest but be implemented in ways that capitalize on the mutual interests of both countries. Second, the strategy must integrate economic and security interests, which the United States decoupled during the cold war era. Third, a new U.S. strategy toward Japan must have an institutional expression, both domestically and internationally, if it is to be viable over the long term. Finally, the United States' Japan strategy must be part of a new global strategy for facing the challenges of the new world order. Contributors: Susan J. Pharr, Haruo Shimada, Clyde V. Prestowitz, Jr., C. Fred Bergsten, Paula Stern, Daniel I. Okimoto, and James H. Raphael. Co-published with the Aspen Strategy Group.