Carolyn M. Leddy says, "The flap over an airbase in Okinawa points to larger problems in the U.S.-Japan security alliance."

Carolyn M. Leddy says, "the time is long overdue for Japan to start acting like it understands the essential role for Tokyo in maintaining peace and stability in East Asia and throughout the world."

Sheila A. Smith says that Japan must go beyond its commitment to reduce its own nuclear weapons and play a more active global role in persuading others to abandon their use.

Sheila A. Smith says the nuclear summit offers Japan the opportunity to voice its long held aspirations for a nuclear free world.

Sheila A. Smith discusses the opportunities ahead for the United States and Japan before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia.

The treaty that forms the backbone of postwar relations between Washington and Tokyo is one of the most enduring treaties since the Peace of Westphalia.

G. John Ikenberry and Charles A. Kupchan argue that as it reaches its 50th anniversary, the U.S.-Japan alliance needs updating.

Carolyn M. Leddy asks, "South Korea is getting serious about its own defense, so why isn't Japan?"

Joseph S. Nye Jr. discusses the U.S. military base in Okinawa and the U.S. alliance with Japan.

Biodiversity and urban forests can thrive with concrete and people, writes Jared Braiterman, pointing to Tokyo as a city that can serve as an example for sustainable, post-industrial, growth.

Jared Braiterman discusses Tokyo's potential role as a leader in creating environmentally sustainable cities, pointing to the "remarkable ingenuity" displayed by Tokyo residents in maximizing the efficiency of their limited space.

The status of the relationship between Japan and the United States.

President Obama's trip to Asia offers an opportunity for the United States to reshape its relationship with Japan in the face of "historic" political change, writes Sheila Smith.

The DPJ's rise to power is a historic opportunity for Japan to revise the constitution, loosen the bureaucracy's grip on policymaking, redistribute income, and improve relations with the rest of Asia. But the road will be long and tortuous.

Carolyn M. Leddy says, "Washington and Tokyo have to focus on protecting their citizens from harm today."

CFR's Japan expert Sheila Smith says U.S.-Japan relations remain important for both governments, but the issue of realigning U.S. military forces in Japan will continue to be a difficult challenge.

Sheila A. Smith argues that Japan's foreign policy stance under the new Democratic Party of Japan leadership now tops the list of concerns in the United States and elsewhere.