Influence of Japanese Public Opinion and Government Policy on the Planning and Execution of U.S. - Japanese Bilateral Ground Exercises

The evolution of U.S.-Japanese bilateral ground exercises has been characterized by progressive development but also by continual opposition from various segments of Japanese society and government. While many factors have influenced the evolution of bilateral ground exercises, two factors-Japanese public opinion and government policy--have played a particularly important role. The historical effects that Japanese public opinion and government policy have had on the evolution of Japanese defense policy and military cooperation with the United States served as a basis for this investigation. This study concludes that, to a considerable degree, negative Japanese public opinion and corresponding local government recalcitrance, government policy, pacifism, the news media, special interest groups, and the political opposition have shaped and continue to influence the planning and execution of U.S.-Japanese bilateral ground exercises. These influences threaten U.S. Army-JGSDP capabilities to fight bilaterally in a future conflict. Among the most significant consequences of this influence are inefficient, unrealistic training exercises, the lack of a unified command and control system, and the inability of bilateral forces to train on the specific ground they would fight on.