Obama may press Japan

Writing as Barack Obama prepared to take office, Robert Dujarric speculated on how the new U.S. president’s policies could affect U.S.-Japan relations. He foresaw that Obama, with his emphasis on multilateralism and change, would likely press Japan to assume a more active role internationally. This could include requests for Japan to provide greater support in global security efforts (such as contributions to the Afghanistan mission or anti-piracy operations) and to be ambitious in tackling climate change and economic imbalances. Dujarric noted that unlike his predecessor George W. Bush – who valued Japan’s support but didn’t heavily push Tokyo for new commitments – Obama might expect allies to share more burdens and innovate domestically (for instance, in clean energy or economic reform to spur growth).

The commentary implies that Japan should be prepared for friendly pressure to adapt: whether sending more peacekeepers abroad, opening its markets further in potential trade talks, or taking diplomatic initiatives in East Asia (like outreach to Korea or China). Dujarric presents this not as a threat but as an opportunity – Obama’s respect for allies also came with higher expectations of them. For Japan, responding positively to Obama’s gentle “press” could strengthen the alliance and Japan’s global standing, whereas reluctance or inertia might lead to frictions or lost influence in the evolving partnership.