For decades, U.S. security in Asia has depended on a network of allies, with Japan and South Korea the two most reliable.

Washington has been able to count on their help to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific and further American interests. But with new leaders in all three nations and domestic political priorities taking precedence, the strength of these ties is in limbo, jeopardizing U.S. supremacy in the region.

Japan, a treaty ally, is a central pillar of U.S. policy in Asia. The relationship shares similarities to the ties the U.K. has with America, akin to an Asian "special relationship.” Tokyo’s strategic position in countering China’s growing regional influence is a modern-day parallel to Britain’s role in countering German dominance in Europe during the last century, notes Mohammed Soliman, nonresident senior fellow in the National Security Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. It is also one of the four largest economies in the world and regularly tops foreign investment charts in the U.S., pouring in funds into at least 39 states.