Historical Reflections on U.S.-Japan Relations: The 60th Anniversary of the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security

In 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, the grandfather of current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, signed the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, commencing an unprecedented era of trust and collaboration.

The U.S.-Japan alliance has become the most important security arrangement for the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. Today, the United States forward deploys more than 50,000 troops in Japan, while the Japan Self-Defense Force boasts one of the most modern and best-equipped militaries in the world. Together, the U.S. and Japan have worked to forge a stable regional and international economic and security order.

How did the United States and Japan go from the fiercest of wartime enemies to the closest of peacetime allies? How did the alliance move from the original Yoshida Doctrine of providing U.S. bases in Japan in exchange for Japan’s economic development, to the far more operational partnership that exists today? How has history shaped the relationship and how will it play a role in the future of the alliance?

Join Hudson Institute as we mark the 60th anniversary year of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, U.S. Army (Ret.), will lead a conversation of distinguished panelists to reflect on the history of this remarkably successful alliance.

NOTE: This event is open to the press. All members of the media should RSVP to press@hudson.org.