The United States, Japan and Asia: Challenges for U.S. Policy.

Under the auspices of the American Assembly of Columbia University, the editor and a select group of authors from business, the media, think tanks, government agencies and major Universities investigate the history as well as the future of U.S.-Asian economic and political policy. In particular, trade relations with Japan and China are highlighted along with a focus on U.S. military forces and their foreseeable engagement over the long run in Asia as a whole.

Each of the eight papers in this volume together create a cohesive, objective look at what has occurred and what might logically occur in U.S.-Asia relations in the near future. Each of the articles in one way or another touch upon one of the most important issues of our time - U.S. interactions and bilateral relations with Japan. The volume gives equal consideration to both economic and political security issues. The emerging relations between our two nations is discussed in the backdrop of a post cold war world. The article by Akira Irike of Harvard spells out the relationship between the U.S. and Japan, politically and economically, from an historical perspective. The author investigates what he calls the tridimensional world of U.S., Japanese and European influence on the world, and in particular on Third World economies. Trade relations with Japan, whose economies together account for around 40% of the world's GDP today, are discussed by Merit E. Janow of Columbia University's East Asia Institute. Historical trade policies toward Japan are discussed in relation to why policies are the way they are today. Current trade policies toward Japan as well as the impact of the recent GATT agreements on U.S. Japanese trade is highlighted. The article by Michael Oksenberg of the East-West Center investigates China and the U.S.-Japanese Alliance. Obviously, U.S.-Japanese relations are influenced in a large part by relations with China and the author gives great insights into the realities of these fragile Asian relationships. Asian regionalism and how it relates to U.S. interests is the focus of the article by Bruce Stokes and C. Michael Aho, who are from the National Journal and Prudential Securities, Inc., respectively. They see the Asian region as an enormous source of wealth and energy for the rest of the planet. Dangers lurk in U.S. economic relations with the countries of the Pacific as nations in the region become both politically and economically unstable. Charles Morrison of the East West Center investigated Southeast Asia and U.S.-Japan relationships. Japan's role, the author contends, has changed radically toward Southeast Asia and positively over the last quarter century. The changes challenge the U.S. and the rest of the world. Ezra Vogel now at the National Intelligence Agency argues that Japan rather than the U.S. is the chief economic and political force in all of Asia. His articles gives reasons for the emergence of Japanese power and how the U.S. will fare in our future relations throughout Asia in the shadow of Japan. Thomas L. McNaugher of the Brookings Institution argues in his article that a long term U.S. military engagement is needed in East Asia. He explains why the Russian republic will have little influence in the region and why the U.S. will have more in the future. Gerald Curtis's article explains why the U.S. must meet the challenge of Japan in Asia. He contends that now more than ever before the U.S. must redefine its economic and political agenda in the region. He sees the greatest challenge right now for change and a new and different role for the United States in the region.

Unlike any other volume of articles I have read on Asian economic and political realities, this text seems to offer varied insights into the future and history of U.S. Asia economic and political, relationships. As an economist, I feel the insights are necessary, if not just simply to update oneself on the issues of the day, to greater focus research efforts on some of the most pressing issues of our day in Asia.

Saul Z. Barr University of Tennessee-Martin