Analysis On The Obama Administration’s Policy Towards Japan

The Obama administrations’ policy towards Japan is a policy issue that alluding trilateral relations among Japan, the United States and China. From the perspective of geopolitics, the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan is an important part of the implementation of the United States’ Asia Pacific rebalancing strategy. The Obama administration took office and strengthen the US-Japan alliance, and then the security situation in East Asia was tense, American policy towards Japan is the key variable affecting the development of the regional security situation. Analysis on the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan will help clarify the United States’ Asia Pacific rebalancing strategy to strengthen the alliance with Japan’s true intentions, familiar with the policy means, forecast policy, understand the frictions and disputes in policy. It has important practical significance to break the regional security tensions. From the US-Japan alliance trend, the US-Japan alliance has been strengthened, and policy goal is clear, multiple means during Obama’s tenure. From the perspective of Sino-US, Sino-Japan relations, the Obama administration policy to Japan is an important issue in the development of the US-Japan trilateral relations.Chapter 1, it aims to distinguish the change of the international environment that Obama administration’s policies towards Japan. Obama sworn in the president on the occasion of the dilemma that the United States bogged down in the Iraq war and the financial crisis. In East Asia, the emerging market countries have risen sharply as the representative of China, which has attracted the Obama administration’s attention and been seemed as a significant opportunity to return Asia-Pacific and then rescuing US economy. Considering China’s sharply development and the future threaten to US, the Obama administration takes advantage of US strategic alliance resources initiative to adjust policies toward Japan and strengthen the US-Japan alliance in order to hold back China’s development. The first chapter takes a foothold in China rising, the new pattern of regional power, regional security situation and any other new realities issues in East Asia. Then following to judge the new changes in the relationships between Sino-US, Sino-Japan and Sino-Russia these larger regional countries. On top of the above, the chapter will final study the vision location, mainly focus on the plight of the US economy and Global strategic center of gravity to the east such these aspects to deeply analysis the necessity and urgency about Obama administration’s policies adjustment towards Japan.Chapter 2, it based on national interests of the US analyzes Obama administration’s policy objectives in Japan. As a response to the Obama administration’s policy toward Japan background in the first chapter, this chapter from the perspective of Obama administration to safeguard national interests of the U.S., the goal of the Obama administration’s policy toward Japan is set in security, prosperity and political fields. Specifically, the security goal toward the Japanese policy is tend to strengthen the US-Japan military alliance, Japan will be cast into the "sword" in inhibition the rise of China in U.S. “Asia-Pacific Rebalancing” strategy; Economic policy objective is to focus on supporting the revitalization of the Japanese economy, and to build Japan as the accomplice of the United States in building a new order of the Asia-Pacific economy; The political goal is to strengthen the political alliance between the United States and Japan, and shape Japan into the promoter of the values of the United States by its influence of the democratic value in the Asia-Pacific region. Overall, the Obama administration’s policy goals toward Japan in all areas are around the U.S. “Asia-Pacific Rebalancing” strategy, it is to protect the United States and its ally’s security, maintain the economic interests of the United States in East Asia, and support the dominant position of the United States in the word.Chapter 3, the implementation process and feature of the Obama administration policy towards Japan. This chapter focuses on the use of comparative research methods to analyze the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan under the new situation and new changes in the characteristics of Japanese politics. Wherein the policy band is divided into Democratic Party of Japan and Liberal Democratic alternation period, two US Secretary of State Hilary and Kerrey rule the policy towards Japan pursued by the State Council. Comparing each period of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan, and summarize the characteristics of policy. The study found that Obama administration’s policy towards Japan has three stages,such as pressure, depth adjustment, strengthen alliance. The Obama administration has made the corresponding policy adjustment in different periods of DPJ and LDP. Among them, the policy characteristics as "pressure & appease" in the period of pendulum diplomacy of DPJ, and as "indulge & strengthen" during the pro-US ruling LDP. During the two-time secretary of state assisting Obama administration,Hillary Clinton’s policy implement characteristics is a bit stronger, as "smart power" foreign policy, It is more clear to sustain American leadership goals. However, Kerrey’s policy towards Japan can take into account the overall situation, take into account the balance of the policy towards China. He who has smooth performance of his diplomatic style takes advantage of policy instrument in Japan more sophisticated reason and pragmatic. Based on the background that American global strategic pivot shifts eastward, this chapter focuses on the main line that Obama administration strengthens the US-Japan alliance. In the meantime it enumerates East Asia emergencies’ impact on the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan. Observing from the evolution trend of implementation process of Obama administration’s policy towards Japan, the US-Japan alliance is undergoing transformation.Chapter 4, analyzing the means of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan. For the implementation of The Asia-Pacific Rebalancing Strategy, The Obama administration inherited the alliance strategic resource, and restarted the U.S.-Japan alliance cornerstone effectiveness. The Obama administration adopted multiple methods to strengthen the US-Japan alliance relations. The means of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan mainly focus on strengthening the US-Japan alliance as a vertical shaft base, and expand in the transverse space. The means of the policy towards Japan mainly include utilizing, draw, and control. Among them, the "utilize" is the core of the means of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan, namely the use of geo-strategic advantage in Japan, the desire to achieve the normal country and the adjustment of national security strategy. It will build Japan to become America’s strategic "sword", so that Japan plays the role of strategic player to curb China in order that Japan serves for the realization of the strategic goals and national interests. The “draw” is the main means of the Obama administration to strengthen the US-Japan alliance. It is involved in various dimensions in the policy towards Japan. The main performance of the Obama administration draw Japan is in “homes” and "have" seek balance of interests of hegemony country, so as to realize the strategic intention of the United States. The “control” mainly concentrates in Sino-Japan territorial disputes, Japan’s political right deviation behavior and the moderate containment of Japanese side’s position to prevent the Japanese "derailed" or trigger a situation in East Asia out of control, and then damage the interests of the United States in the Asia Pacific region.Chapter 5, the assessment of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan and China’s response. This chapter focuses on the assessment of the results of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan. That is, through comparing between the target of US policy towards Japan and the situation of US-Japan relations, it sums up the status completed of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan. Assessment concluded that, on the whole, during the Obama administration, the US-Japan alliance has been an unprecedented strengthening. The Obama administration has continued the previous principles about the U.S. government’s policy towards Japan that is successful within the expected range. From the micro level, the Obama administration tolerated the restrictive factors in the implementation process of the policy. With changes in the international environment, the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan has been timely adjusted, opened up new areas of cooperation with Japan, highlighted the characteristics of the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan and ultimately achieved the desired results. In view of Sino-US-Japan relations refracted from the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan, after systematically researched the Obama administration’s policy towards Japan, the author analyzed the impact of this policy on China.At last, in consideration the Obama administration is coming to end. In order to make the advice targeted and forward-looking, the article predicts the policy of the United States towards Japan. No matter who takes over the US government in the future, "Asia-Pacific rebalancing" strategy whether continue to be the focus of US global strategy or not, the United States will continue to choose to strengthen the US-Japan alliance to safeguard national interests and its world leadership. Papers will regard China’s policy response as a foothold. I believe that China as the common strategic objectives of US-Japan alliance should make the following reaction. First, we should continue to adhere to peaceful development strategy. Second, we should improve Sino-US relations and prevent China and US to fall into the Thucydides trap, flexible handling Sino- Japan relations, to seek the balance in the Sino-U.S-Japan trilateral relationship. Third, adjusting China’s own state of mind, expand the strategic space of peaceful development.