The administration of President George W. Bush has disclosed major changes in U.S. military and diplomatic strategies. These include the stepped-up deployment of U.S. missile defense systems, the discontinuation of the "two major war" approach and the overhaul of policies toward North Korea.
New missile defense plans unveiled by Bush on May 1 represent an important change in the U.S. nuclear doctrine that is likely to affect the global balance of power in the 21st century.
At this juncture, Japanese diplomacy faces a crisis less than a month after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi launched his administration. Japan's national interest is at stake.