On March 22-23, 2002, more than 30 current and former Japanese and U.S. government officials and security and economic specialists met in San Francisco for the Eighth Annual San Francisco Security Seminar. During a day and a half of intensive dialogue, the participants debated and exchanged views on a wide range of concerns and issues that the two countries face in the post-September 11 security environment, including at the bilateral, regional, and global levels. The conference theme of “Maintaining the Momentum” clearly derives from the positive direction the bilateral alliance has taken in the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks, and participants were challenged at the outset to share views on exactly what has changed, and what has not. Readers will find that some of the issues raised by participants and outlined below are familiar ones − the problems associated with the relocation of the Futenma Marine Base in Okinawa and the steady rise of Japanese public opinion in shaping national security policy are just some of the issues that have arisen in previous meetings and continued in March 2002.