US‐Japan Alliance: Emmeshing Bilateralism Into Broader Multilateralism

Yoichiro Sato

Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, 2026, vol. 13, issue 2

Abstract: In the 21st Century, geopolitical confrontation between the Eurasian continental powers and the sea powers works to divide Asia. The US‐Japan alliance has transformed itself from Japanʼs asymmetrical security dependence of the Cold War period into a mutual and more integrated partnership today. Japan is doing more in collective security to ensure US commitment to the alliance through its own enhanced utilities to the United States. Japan leads emmeshing of the US‐Japan bilateral alliance into the growing network of security partnerships, transforming the “hub‐and‐spoke” security architecture of East Asia at least partly into a NATO‐like multilateral security arrangement. Yet Asian economic dependence on China and the uncertain prospects of the US commitment to Asian security and geopolitical realignment at the level of international system allow Japan to pursue hedging on its own and Asian behalf.

Date: 2026
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