I just finished reading a fascinating essay on Japanese pop culture in Foreign Policy. It was rather surprising and terribly interesting, and proof (to me) that globalization is a permanent force.

It also left me wondering what the relationship between Japan and the U.S. will be over the next few decades. After nearly 60 years, the U.S. continues to fund almost all of the military defense of Japan. This, in addition to our expenses to help defend Taiwan and especially South Korea. In the case of South Korea and Taiwan, the rationale is obvious; both are staring down the barrel of a gun held by evil psychotics. The case for the U.S. continuing to do almost all the heavy lifting for Japanese defense seems quite a bit more ambiguous.

I do suspect something: the Japanese probably aren't all that anxious to start funding their own military again. So where will our relationship be 20 or 50 years from now?

Comments are invited. I'm honestly not sure what I think.