EDITOR S PREFACE<br > The cornerstone of U.S. policy in East Asia is the preservation of Japan and<br >South Korea as independent states firmly linked to the Western world. Although<br >this policy rests on a relatively solid foundation， since the early 1970s the edifice<br >of interlocking diplomatic， military， and economic interests has increasingly<br >experienced periodic shocks that threaten permanent damage to United States-<br >Japanese and United States-South Korean relationships. These bilateral ties have<br >grown more complex and difficult to cement， even as they become more inter-<br >dependent and institutionalized. This study explores the key issues and develop-<br >ments that have shaped those relationships and the ways in which each party<br >has tried to influence the outcome on matters of special concern to it.<br > The dynamics of United States-Japanese and United States-South Korean<br >relations reflect the extraordinary international and regional changes of the past<br >two decades: the emergence of the Soviet Union as a superpower and the global-<br >ization of the United States-Soviet rivalry; the end of the Sino-Soviet alliance;<br >the U.S. defeat in Vietnam and the subsequent erosion of its credibility as an<br >ally and patron; the development of Japan and South Korea as strong economic<br >powers; the energy crisis and growing salience of economic considerations in the<br >policies of all these countries; and the United States-Chinese rapprochement，<br >started by President Nixon in 1972， which tends to reinforce rather than<br >diminish the importance of United States-Japanese and United States-South<br >Korean relations.<br > Japan and South Korea have come a long way from the years immediately<br >after World War II when they were subordinate to Washington. They have each<br >developed strong， cohesive， highly nationalistic societies; built productive，<br >impressive economies， and sought greater latitude in foreign policy. They<br >perceive the United States as weaker in the 1980s than it was in the 1960s， but<br >they are highly vulnerable to attack from outside and remain heavily dependent<br > for security on U.S. military protection. Both are apprehensive over U.S. leader-<br > ship but find their options limited. Though the United States is no longer<br > preeminent globally or regionally and its word is no longer fiat， nonetheless，<br >what it does， or does not do is still crucial to the security， stability， and well-<br > being of Japan and South Korea.<br > Problems aside (and these are developed in extensive and sophisticated<br > fashion by the authors)， the United States-Japanese relationship has been an<br > unrivalled success story. From being bitter enemies in war， the two progressed<br >