The Japanese military is emerging from decades of pacifism. But do the country's political leaders have the vision and the will to make the country strong again?

Has Japan finally been mugged by reality? Several policy moves in the past month suggest Tokyo has been rudely awakened to the dangers of an increasingly volatile region and is actually doing something about it.

Turmoil in the Middle East has exposed the vulnerabilities of President Barack Obama’s listless foreign policy. As Iran closes in on its nuclear prize and props up Assad’s bloody regime in Syria, the United States has the opportunity to deal a crippling blow to its oldest, most dangerous enemy in...

While I agree that there's no question that America's ability to field a military second to none depends on our economic fundamentals, the position of "superpower" seems to me a bit more complex.

The North Korean nuclear test is sparking fundamental changes in Japanese defense policy.

If America's allies want a say at the table when it comes to security matters and, more importantly, want to be listened to, they cannot assume that the United States will always pick up the check to maintain global order.

But while Japan is making strides toward becoming a "normal country," it has yet to gain regional acceptance for its assumption of greater responsibility for Asian security.

The United States and Japan must reorient their partnership to cooperate in supporting political and economic liberalization in the Asia Pacific.