The 11th annual Japan-U.S. Security Seminar met in San Francisco, on March 17-18, 2005, to examine the evolving international environment, changes (both domestic and foreign policy) in the U.S. and Japan, and the two governments’ efforts to forge an alliance that is better suited to, and more sustainable in, the 21st century. Mr. Makio Miyagawa (Director, Japan Institute of International Affairs) and Mr. Ralph A. Cossa (President, Pacific Forum) served as co-chairmen, and more than 30 current and former government officials, analysts, and academic scholars of the alliance engaged in two days of spirited discussion. (See Appendix A for details.) The outlook was positive, yet all agreed that there is no room for complacency. Ambassador Kato Ryozo (pp. 13) set the tone for our discussion in his keynote speech, noting that “our alliance will become stronger and more firmly united in the future. … we need to reexamine the roles, missions, and capabilities of the two countries, bearing in mind the new security environment.” This point was reinforced by former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly in his dinner remarks (see pp. 19). Kelly explained “For the last four years, following the suggestions of the Nye-Armitage report, the U.S. has been engaging in the Pacific with a leading focus on Japan. Our relationship has evolved albeit with certain stresses. … Today, we are indispensable partners with Japan and the U.S. is in the Asia Pacific region to stay.”
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