Yeah,but perception is the basis of any relation and it is undeniable fact that many in Tokyo think the “problem” over alliances need to be fixed.I know few could care less about abduction issues and all those North Korean venture by the guy name Hill,but still there’s the feeling of being betrayed by Washington in the air in Nagatacho/Kasumigaseki.
What if Obama try to change things so dramatically and shift Asian policy toward more multilateral based instead of alliances,like making siz-party talks turning into regional security organization? or expanding G8 and allowing China to enter while Japan not being the permanent member of the security council?
I think there willl be more need of playing the cheap horror music in the next four years.

Yes, I saw that. Earl H Kinmouth, the perennial contrarian over at NBR put it online, but it has since been removed. It did seem to suggest that Japan would be worse off under a Democratic Administration and even played cheap horror music when the spectre of Chinese influence in Washington was raised.

Thanks. Really, a few years back, people were talking about Canada-US relations being in the toilet (after Canada gave a great big “No” on Iraq). A new Canadian government came in, some platitudes followed, nothing really important happened, and all of a sudden, things are peachy. Another problem of perception. These relationships are generally so solid that they can run on auto-pilot. So barring something from a sci-fi movie (Japan unilaterally scrapping the defense alliance or Canada allowing Russian missiles to be deployed on its soil, chuckle) they can be taken for granted.

In my opinion, the most serious consequence of the Bush years may not be Iraq, it may not even be the economy, it may be the overall damage to American credibility and 発言力 everywhere from South America, to Africa, to Europe, etc. Resources need to be pushed in this direction – not toward fixing “problems” with Japan.

Well put.

That was by Armitage,not Nye.

I’ve noticed.Especially after reading his political fiction titled “Dirty Handsダーティハンズ”on Monthly Gaiko-Forum magazine,a few years back.
Nye insisted the editors that the fiction will be published only in Japan,I think same kind of arrangement was made when Chuo-Koron had published “ワシントンの仕事師世界をゆく”for a year.

I always feel very dissapointed with all these Japan-only publishing.FujiTV had paid huge bucks to let Frederick Forsyth to write “The Hiding Places”,a fiction based in Japan with Japanese characters.Brian Freemantle and Jeffrey Archer had also wrote something along these lines.

Anybody saw the recent NHK Special featuring J-embassy trying to sell Japan to power circle in DC? There was a scene with four J-diplomats paying pilgrimage to Mike Green and asking advices.I’d imagine everyone wants Green to be in Washington and stay as the transmitter of US-Japan relations.

But could this be a matter of perception mixed with the fact that the Republicans tend to have staff that whistle the right tune in Japan’s direction more often than the Democrats? Japanese policymakers have had ample opportunity during Republican administrations to feel that Republicans “do not have their back” or that the U.S. had acted without notifying Japan first, most recently removing NK from the terror list despite the widely-held supposition in Japan that participation in Iraq would yield U.S. cooperation on North Korea issues. Given that Republican moves have created plenty of consternation in Japan over the years, I would suggest that the difference between the two parties’ approaches lies in the recognition by Republicans that there should be people to “manage” Japan sympathetically when problems arise.

The President intends to nominate Michael J. Green, of Maryland, to be the United States Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma with the Rank of Ambassador.

Full press release here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/11/20081110-8.html

I am a little puzzled by the inclusion of Joe Nye in this list and think Cossa might have included him for personal reasons. My (somewhat dated) observation is that Nye seems to have gained some traction within the Japan community—of which Cossa is an active part—in recent years. To venture a conjecture myself, this might be because the Japanese like being held up as a shining example of “soft power,” and Nye is the perfect advocate.

Finally, while I see the argument that Cossa tried to make about Japan’s “irrational” fear of Democrats, I agree with Curzon that there are justifiable reasons for that fear. I heard something interesting from a former Japanese government official in an off-the-record meeting once that touched upon this fear and which I may as well throw out there in paraphrase for discussion. He said that one reason many Japanese mistrust the Democrats is because their “idealism” makes them unpredictable. That is, they often say one (terribly idealistic) thing and then do another, and the Japanese seem to have a difficult time sorting out the honne from the tatemae, as it were. (Ironic, I know.) He added that with Republicans, the Japanese feel that they know where these guys stand, and they know what to expect from them. They know that the Republicans are going to be with them 100% of the time and that they will always have their backs.