s and thus entrusted her stake in regional security in American hands. First of all, despite Japans renunciation of military force, her nuclear deterrence has been guaranteed by the US. Yukio Satoh states in Asian-Pacific Process of Stability and Security American nuclear forces will continue to be the only deterrent Japan can rely on against any nuclear threat, be it from the Soviet Union, China or elsewhere (Satoh, 38). In terms of nuclear deterrence, US-Japan security arrangement has been providing an indispensable amount of security guarantee to Japan.Second, Japans sea-lane has been protected by US military presence in the Pacific. According to Satoh [f]rom the [Persian] Gulf region, Japan imports about seventy percent of her oil (Satoh, 38). Then he continues, [g]iven that the scope of defense operations by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces is limited to a distance of 1,000 nautical miles, Japan has to depend upon the American capability to ensure freedom of navigation in order to secure the inflow of oil and other vital commodities (Satoh, 38). Therefore, Japans preservation of her interests has once again assured by her alliance with the US.Third, much of Asian security relations have been relying on the US. The United States bilateral security arrangements with many Asian countries have indirectly linked Japan with other Asia states. Using the hub-and spokes model, the US overall became a go-between for Asian nations including Japan. The model was based on US security treaties with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines and Thailand. Gary Smith in Mulitlateralism and Regional Security in Asia: The ARF and APEC7s Geopolitical Value notes, the US is the largest partner in each of these security arrangements and everything flows back and forth to Washington (Smith). In another words, Japans diplomatic relations with her neighbor countries has been severely relying on the US and at the same time, she pass...
