United States, Japan, and Asia-Pacific Region
After Cold War, the relationships between the United States, Japan, their impacts on Asia-Pacific region are revolving around the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, U.S.- Japan Joint Declaration on Security, and Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.
Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan
The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan is a pact that allows US military to station on Japanese soil and binds the two countries to defend each other if one of them is attacked “in the territories under Japan’s control.”
The original treaty was signed in 1951 together with the San Francisco Peace Treaty that ended World War II in Asia and the Allied occupation of Japan from 1945-1952. It was revised and replaced to be the current treaty in 1960, and further reinforced by the Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security in 1996.
This treaty of 1951, however, contained several disputed articles. Not only did it permit US forces stationed in Japan to be used for any purpose anywhere in the “Far East” without prior consultation with the Japanese government, it also included a specific clause authorizing US troops to suppress domestic protests in Japan. The most concerning of all was that the deal did not include a provision binding the US to defend Japan if it was invaded by a third party.
The new treaty of 1960 is regarded as a substantial improvement by Japanese government since it revised the aforementioned disadvantageous articles to Japan. The revised version of the treaty includes
(1) to commit the United States to defend Japan upon invasion;
(2) to require prior consultation with the Japanese government before dispatching US forces based in Japan overseas;
(3) to abolish the clause authorizing suppression of domestic protests.
Article 1 states that each country would seek to resolve any international disputes peacefully and underscores the importance of United Nations when it comes to coping with aggression.
Article 2 advocates for more cooperation between the two countries in terms of international relations and economics. The clause is the foundation of cabinet level consultative committees—- the United States–Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON), the United States–Japan Committee on Scientific Cooperation, and the Joint United States–Japan Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs.
Article 4 states that the United States will consult with Japan about how to use U.S. troops stationed in Japan.
Article 5 binds the United States to defend Japan if it is invaded by a third party.
Article 6 expressly permits the US the right to station troops on Japanese soil, subject to the conclusion of a separate “Administrative Agreement.” It is worth mentioning that
The treaty’s agreed minutes stated that the Japanese government would be consulted before any major changes in US force deployment in Japan or the use of Japanese bases for combat operations that are not to defend Japan.
Article 10 provides for the treaty to be abolished if any party gives the other one year’s notice of its willingness to terminate the pact after an initial 10-year period.
U.S.- Japan Joint Declaration on Security
The U.S.- Japan Joint Declaration on Security reaffirmed that the Japan-U.S. security relationship, based on the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America, remains the foundation for realizing common security goals, and for sustaining a stable and flourishing environment for the Asia-Pacific region.
The “National Defense Program Outline” of 1995 emphasized that the Japanese defense capabilities should play appropriate roles in the security environment after the Cold War. The close defense cooperation between the U.S. and Japan therefore become the fundamental framework for the policy.
This collaboration is based on a mix of appropriate defense capabilities for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, U.S. deterrence guarantee and security agreements between Japan and the United States.
Continued U.S. military presence of around 100,000 forward deployed military personnel and continued appropriate contributions from Japan for the maintenance of U.S. forces in Japan have been recognized in the declaration to be essential for U.S engagement in the region in order to maintain regional stability. The new Special Measures Agreement which provides financial support for U.S. forces stationed in Japan was concluded as a result.
The U.S. and Japan will work together on enhancing the exchange of information, consultation on defense policies and military postures, research on bilateral cooperation in dealing with situations that may emerge in the areas surrounding Japan, and proliferation control in the region.
As the roles of China, Russia and Korea Peninsula play in the region are essential to the stability in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States and Japan need to further cooperation with these countries, in order to ensure all of them play a positive and constructive role in the region. Multilateral security dialogues and cooperation mechanisms involving ASEAN were also proposed in the declaration. Lastly, both countries agreed to coordinate their policies to cooperate with the United Nations and APEC on critical issues.
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution
ARTICLE 9. (1) Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. (2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause in the national Constitution of Japan banning war as an approach to resolve international disputes. This clause took effect on 3 May 1947, renouncing the sovereign right of belligerency. The armed forces of Japan was therefore degraded to the Japan Self-Defense Forces, a defensive troop without war potential.
In 2014, however, the Japanese government approved a reinterpretation granting the Japan Self-Defense Forces right of collective self-defense to assist its allies engaging in combat internationally. This act incurred serious concern and disapprobation from North Korea and China, whereas supported by the U.S. since it has the desire for Japan to take a more active military role in Asia-Pacific region amid the struggle against the threat posed by China and South Korea.
