Expansion of US-Japan Alliance with India suggested

New Delhi, Jul 25 (UNI) A senior Japan Scholar today suggested the Japan-US alliance expansion with countries like India, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and South Korea for better strategic, economic safety and better coordination to fight terrorism.

China may also enter but with conditions, like transparency in its military budget, respect for human rights,introduction of democracy and others. ''Unconditional entry to China will have serious implications. Theirs is a one-party rule system with no transparency at all. No one knows what is their military budget? What are their intentions and plans?'' said Prof robert D Eldridge,Director of US-Japan Alliance Affairs Division, Center for International Security Studies and Policy, Osaka University.

He said the US-Japan alliance is originally based on security concerns under the then existing cold war conditions. With the world conditions changing and with India and China emerging as leading global powers, there is a need to look at the new world environment and build a new alliance which is by expanding the US-Japan alliance.

He added that the triangular nature of Japan's contributions to the alliance consisted of personnel, financial and bases.

Currently, roughly 135 facilities and training areas in Japan are used by the US.

He, however, completely ruled out chances of Japan amending its Constitution and becoming a Nuclear State.

Veteran diplomat A N Ram commented that with the change in the geo-politics in Asia, the role of the US in Asia would diminish with the emergence of India, China, Australia along with Japan.

Prof Kesavan, head of the Japan Studies Programme at ORF, also noted in his opening remarks that time has come for changes in the US-Japan alliance which was set up during the cold war days.

UNI XC RL HS2011