New America

At the request of the U.S. departments of State and Defense and the Japanese ministries of foreign affairs and defense, the New America Foundation (Washington, DC) plans to conduct a semi-official dialogue with the Japan Institute of International Affairs regarding the U.S.-Japan alliance and mechanisms to ensure North Korea is deterred while also allowing the United States to reduce its nuclear arsenal. Claims that "if we scrap too many missiles, Japan will build a bomb" have become the primary argument of many who seek to derail the positive course President Obama has set for nuclear policy. It is true that Japanese officials have expressed concern about U.S. plans, particularly those to eliminate the Tomahawk missile, but these concerns are mostly a symbolic request for greater transparency on the part of the United States regarding changes to its nuclear policies. However, because the United States has no secrecy agreement with Japan, U.S. officials are unable to provide Japanese officials the same reassurances and information provided to NATO allies. This dialogue would fill that gap, reassuring Japan about the strength of the alliance, helping to change the dialogue in Washington as well, and ultimately ensuring President Obama can continue to reduce the U.S. nuclear arsenal without allowing further nuclear proliferation. (New, $100,000/1.5; 83% of project budget)