The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania

ペンシルベニア日米協会

America Pivots East - Again: Implications, Images, and Reality in U.S.-Japan Relations Breakfast Briefing with Dr. William Farrell

  • Thursday, November 29, 2012
  • 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Deloitte | 2500 One PPG Place, 25th Floor | Pittsburgh
To register, visit www.worldpittsburgh.org or call 412-281-7970
There is no charge for this event. Registration deadline is November 26th.
Please advise in advance of any dietary restrictions.


In late 2011, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared the beginning of America’s “Pacific Century.” She said that America’s foreign policy goals in the Asia-Pacific in the coming decade require increased investment in economic, diplomatic, and strategic terms. Some pundits and analysts point to Washington’s “Asia Pivot” as a relatively new initiative. History suggests otherwise. The United States has been a Pacific nation for over a
century. One of its key counterparts has been Japan. Reaching back as far as Matthew Perry’s “Black Ships” anchored in Tokyo Bay during the 1850s, to the brutality of both sides during World War II, the relationship between the United States and Japan has been both collaborative and contentious. Factor in the American occupation of Japan and the close relationship during the Cold War, and a complicated geopolitical partnership emerges. In 150 years, the U.S. and Japan have been allies, sworn enemies, and allies once more. Economically, relative prosperity has been achieved through mutual gain. Currently boasting the first and
third largest economies in the world, the U.S. and Japan account for over 30 percent of the world domestic product. Beyond the economy, scheduled joint naval exercises indicate a strong military alliance undefined but one underlined by regional tensions and the ongoing island disputes in the East Asia Sea. With nationalism rising throughout Asia, what trends will characterize the future of the U.S.-Japanese relationship? For a complete understanding of America’s “Asia Pivot,” the history of U.S. involvement with
Japan is a good place to begin. Join the World Affairs Council and the Japan-America Society for a perspective on U.S. involvement in the Pacific, and how a look back can predict what lies ahead.

Dr. William Farrell is the former Chairman of National Association of Japan-America Societies. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Naval War College. Dr. Farrell served in the U.S. Air Force
for 20 years, and was stationed in Japan for six years as a commissioned officer. After the Air Force, he worked as Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo and as
Chairman of an Asian-focused consulting company. In June 2012, he was awarded the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun with Gold Rays by the Japanese government for his work to promote
strong relations between the U.S. and Japan. Dr. Farrell has a B.A. in History from Fordham University, an M.A. from Florida State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

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