Crisis Management in Japan & the United States Creating Opportunities for Cooperation Amid Dramatic Change

In recent years, the United States and Japan have each undertaken a dramatic overhaul of various crisis and consequence management structures for preventing and responding to natural and man-made disasters, including earthquakes, terrorist attacks, critical infrastructure failures, and nuclear accidents. During these organizational changes, the two countries have a unique opportunity to create new patterns of cooperation and share appropriate resources and technologies for strengthening their abilities to protect their citizens, as well as those in less developed countries. This binational study analyzes the military and civilian changes underway and outlines steps that policymakers can take to promote effective, efficient cooperation and to make the most of the U.S.-Japanese alliance.