Tokyo Becoming the Center of Asia

This past month, Japan and the U.S. have been finding that their close post-war relationship is not as close as it once was. Japan is under a new Democratic Party, one that is seeking changes in America’s involvement in economics and military. Two articles from the New York Times, "Creaky Alliance" published November 12, 09, and "Obama, in Japan, Says U.S. Will Study Status of a Marine Base on Okinawa" published November 13, 09, tell how Japan is reshaping itself, and both countries are wondering what place the U.S. will have. We first took occupation of Japan and made some changes that insured our place in Asia, one of them being our military forces in Okinawa. Since 1972 the U.S. has given up occupation of Okinawa but is able to keep forces there under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan. Under the new party, Japan has changed its desire from having the forces moved to a smaller, less populated part of the island to off the island completely.
This should not be a new idea for the U.S., only 100 years before we were claiming control and setting the U.S. as the central power in America’s hemisphere. Japan is now setting their nation up as the ‘go to’ power in Pacific Asia. One question that comes up is whether the U.S. will allow this. It has only been 60 years since we were at war and then rebuilt their nation, and the U.S. sees a much larger communist nation just across the water. Our idea of containing the spread of communism is still fresh in our history and the easiest way to ensure that China or North Korea does not stake a claim in Japan is by keeping our own foot there. Are we expanding the Monroe Doctrine to all countries where we have the military influence, and as Japan gains more economic power will we let them reform their military and protect their own waters?