Jonathan Freidkin
Henninger High School
Abstract
Since the end of World War II, Japan has pursued a remarkably pacifistic foreign policy. After the devastation of the war, Japan sought to benefit from its enforced disarmament by free-riding on U.S. security guarantees. However, the waning and end of the Cold War ushered in a changed security landscape, and the U.S. has steadily pressured Japan to assume more responsibility for its own defense. From a game theory perspective, Japan’s long-standing positive-sum game of relying on U.S. military protection is giving way to a more complex game, one in which Japan is beginning to assume responsibility for its own security.
Jonathan Freidkin
Henninger High School
Since the end of World War II, Japan has pursued a remarkably pacifistic foreign policy. After the devastation of the war, Japan sought to benefit from its enforced disarmament by free-riding on U.S. security guarantees. However, the waning and end of the Cold War ushered in a changed security landscape, and the U.S. has steadily pressured Japan to assume more responsibility for its own defense. From a game theory perspective, Japan’s long-standing positive-sum game of relying on U.S. military protection is giving way to a more complex game, one in which Japan is beginning to assume responsibility for its own security.
