It must also eventually come to an end, and this could become a problem for the newly-elected Democratic Party government in Tokyo. The negatives for Japan in this institutionalized subordination to the United States have become heavy to bear, not only politically but in certain ways psychologically, and even spiritually. Japan, after all, from its brilliant successes early in the Meiji era, in its 1904-1905 war with Russia, to its defeat by American nuclear bombs in 1945, was probably the most dynamic, ambitious and nationalistic country on earth.

The leader of the victorious Democratic Party of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama, has spoken about two aspects of the American relationship to Japan today. The first is economic. He said his government's economic policy will no longer be that of American-led "unrestrained market fundamentalism and financial capitalism," in which "people are treated not as an end but as a means [and] human dignity is lost." He spoke of respect for the "local economic practices that have been fostered by our traditions." This is a sympathetic position, but it is not clear what he means in practice, even though he suggests that America's world economic domination is waning.

Japan's economic success during the years of its greatest prosperity was based on innovative and stylish consumer products of very high technology, sold in the advanced global markets. In addition, its heavy industry was a world leader. Today its competition in consumer goods is great, mainly but not exclusively from other Asian countries, and in heavy industry the competition is from Germany, France and Italy. China, of course, is determined to become a world competitor in every sector.

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