America's Evolving Relationship with Japan

According to the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/world/asia/09gates.html?n=Top/News/World/Countries%20and%20Territories/Japan) Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is urging Japan to take a more active role in global security, going so far as to say they have an "obligation" to it. It made sense during the Cold War for the US to provide military protection to Japan, allowing them to put their recourses into expanding their economy. America and it's Western Allies needed a strong, stable capitalist democracy in East Asia. But now, with the threat of communism gone, and with Japanese companies out performing their American counterparts in so many fields, it is not surprising to see this slow shift in policy by Washington. It will be interesting to see how Japan responds to this.