In his article “Keeping the alliance alive” (The Japan Times; 7/27/98), former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa takes exception, both to my July 11 critique of his July 6 article in The Japan Times and to my review of his piece in the July-August edition of Foreign Affairs, which appeared in the Sankei Shimbun July 10. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the issues further. But rather than try to refute Mr. Hosokawa point by point, I would like to explain my own views on bilateral security ties.