US and Japan

Abstract

The relationship between the U.S. and Japan has changed dramatically, transitioning from wartime hostility to a long-term alliance. This dissertation examines the evolution of U.S.-Japan relations from World War II to the postwar period, focusing on the American occupation, Japan's reconstruction, and the formation of a strategic partnership during the Cold War. The political and economic reforms implemented between 1945 and 1952, as well as the signing of the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco and the establishment of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, were critical to this transformation. The study focuses on how American-led democratization and economic revitalization reshaped Japan's domestic landscape, laying the groundwork for future cooperation. The Cold War's geopolitical pressures also accelerated the alignment of interests between the two countries. The work argues that these intertwined factors— reconstruction, reform, and strategic necessity—were instrumental in converting a former enemy into a key ally, shaping a bilateral relationship that remains vital to international politics today