The DPJ and U.S.-Japan relations

Today Reuters quoted from an interview I did regarding the Japanese elections and U.S.-Japan relations.

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Easley: After the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) comes to power, the biggest change for U.S.-Japan relations will be the number of new faces on the Japanese side. Most of the governing and diplomatic experience in Japan is held by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It will be important to build trust between officials and show that the U.S.-Japan alliance is not a U.S.-LDP alliance but rather a partnership built on shared national interests and values.

The DPJ government will likely shift some of Japan's diplomatic attention to its neighbors. Washington can encourage this on top of close coordination with Tokyo. If Japan is more trusted and active in Asia, that will be an asset to the U.S.-Japan alliance.

The U.S. should remain sensitive to political developments in Japan while keeping all channels open for cooperation. The DPJ has already toned down some of its campaign rhetoric. Given that it must now face the resource and logistical challenges of governing while representing Japan's national interests, the DPJ will want to keep the solid alliance with the U.S. Some DPJ members may want to revise the terms of the U.S.-Japan relationship, but domestic reforms and economic issues will be the priority as the DPJ tries to show progress to the Japanese public before next year's upper house election.

Balancing internal factions and setting policy priorities will be the immediate challenges for the DPJ as it transitions from an opposition party structure to a governing organization. The DPJ's fortunes will depend on how well it accomplishes administrative reform and leads Japan out of recession. The U.S. should be rooting for the DPJ to tackle Japan's economic structural and demographic issues as this will make Japan a more capable partner over the long-term.