The U.S.-Japan alliance is a living, ongoing partnership. This project focuses on expanding working-level interactions between the U.S. and Japanese defense establishments. The project provides key analysis to policymakers who draft the policies that govern the alliance, while working with experts in the military and the policy community to understand the challenges of the alliance in a historical and contemporary context. Through engagement with officials, the project identifies and raises awareness of specific issues — from strategic messaging to the nuts and bolts of alliance interactions — that can lead to misunderstanding and tension.
Joint US-Japan cooperation on military shipbuilding and repair at Pearl Harbor could send a powerful signal while boosting strength and prosperity
March 20, 2026
Trump’s green light to Nippon Steel hints at new momentum for U.S.-Japan shipbuilding cooperation
June 4, 2025
Honoring the legacy of Joseph Nye Jr., another key architect and champion of the U.S.-Japan alliance
May 13, 2025
The U.S.-Japan alliance lost a key advocate—his enduring legacy remains vital.
April 21, 2025
Growing U.S. attention toward the Arctic may push Japan’s defense establishment to dust off its Cold War playbook
April 4, 2025
How U.S. congressional leadership can stabilize the Indo-Pacific amid growing uncertainty
April 2, 2025
Adapting the U.S.-Japan alliance to emerging geostrategic, economic, and technological challenges in the Indo-Pacific and beyond
March 27, 2025
Despite its limitations, U.S.-Japan command and control coordination presents opportunities for creative solutions
March 14, 2025