Quality matters in US-Japan ties

To maintain security, one usually has only two options. The first is to strengthen oneself, and the second is to look for powerful partners to maintain a stronger position vis-a-vis others. In international relations, the former means building defense capabilities so that one state can attack another to maintain its security, while the latter uses a variety of security alignments, including entering alliances.

US President Barack Obama is on a three-day visit to Japan starting Wednesday and will discuss issues relating to Asia, including security, economic partnerships and international crises.

In September last year, Obama said on TV that the US would no longer act as a world policeman. Since then the US has been reluctant to act against authoritarian political leaders and terrorists. Because of this, leaders who considered the US an unjust policeman have hardened their stance against the US. This fact is evident in the recent cases in Syria and Ukraine - the US president lost the time to resolve these conflicts during his consultations with Congress.