The treaty that forms the backbone of postwar relations between Washington and Tokyo is one of the most enduring treaties since the Peace of Westphalia. Given its success in keeping Japan safe and the United States strong in East Asia, one might conclude that it has a bright future. But one would be wrong. With the election of the Democratic Party of Japan last summer, the deal is now being called into question

During his first year in office, U.S. President Barack Obama made engagement with U.S. adversarles one of his administration's priorities. Skeptics insist that this strategy is appeasement by another ñame. But the histórica! record makes clear that Obama is on the right track: reaching out to adversaries is an essential start to rapprochement