Striking a balance

The new guidelines announced last week for U.S.-Japan military cooperation strike many Americans as less than a big deal.

In Japan and other parts of Asia, they were greeted as a drastic change. In fact, they represent a reasonable affirmation and modernization of the U.S. presence in Asia and of Japan's willingness to support that presence.

The United States has stationed troops in Japan since that nation's World War II defeat more than a half-century ago. U.S. occupiers imposed a "peace constitution" under which Japan promised never again to wage war and U.S. forces pledged to defend it against external threats.

A lot has changed since then. The Soviet Union, seen then as the main threat, is gone. Zones of instability include North Korea -- where hunger and economic failure might trigger military adventurism -- and, potentially, China, which might threaten Taiwan some time in the future.

Japan itself is now a rich country with a large trade surplus, leading many U.S. critics to demand that it contribute more to regional security.

To adjust to these new realities, the two nations began three years ago to negotiating new rules for military cooperation. It was not easy.

Americans want Japan to shoulder a greater burden but neither Japan's neighbors nor the U.S. really want to encourage a remilitarization of Japan.

Most Asian nations want a continued U.S. presence to counterbalance a growing China but their officials for the most part are too nervous about Beijing to say so publicly.

South Korea, a former Japanese colony, greatly fears a renewed Japan but very much wants U.S. forces to remain in the neighborhood. And the Japanese themselves are deeply divided about any steps that might undermine their peace constitution.

Given those conflicting pressures, the new guidelines are impressive enough. The new guidelines shift the U.S.-Japan security treaty from a Cold War pact aimed at self-defense to a cooperative arrangement focused on regional security.

More important than any of its details is the renewed U.S. commitment to the area, which will provide stability for Southeast Asia, deterrence to North Korea and, if necessary, China, and an atmosphere conducive to trade, prosperity and democratization.

Japan has not and should not usurp the U.S. leadership role. But it has committed to support that role more than ever before.

-- The Washington Post