In August 1945, the United States dropped two atom bombs on Japan, killing hundreds
of thousands of Japanese citizens and ending World War II.
But despite this devastating attack, less than a century later, Japan and the United
States have become close political and social allies.
In 2011, 85% of Japanese people polled viewed the US favorably.
So, why doesn’t Japan hate the US?
One of the big reasons is that at the time of the war, Japan was ruled by Emperor Shōwa.
His policies plunged the country into financial crisis and increased military power.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II he authorized war crimes and ordered
Japanese civilians to commit suicide instead of being captured.
This made him a feared and unlikeable figure in Japanese history.
The end of the war also had a silver lining.
Neither Japan nor the US stood any chance of invading each other, meaning that the protracted
sea battle was going to continue indefinitely.
On top of that, the USSR had also just joined the war against Japan.
With the war over, Japan’s communist neighbors threatened their existence.
But from 1945 to Japan’s independence in 1952, the United States occupied and rebuilt
the country with a heavy emphasis on growth and stability.
They promoted New Deal policies to help the economy, pushed for labor rights and unions,
and dismantled existing monopolies, and overhauled the education system.
They also freely shared technologies, pushing Japan into eventually becoming a manufacturing
giant.
And introduced democracy and a new constitution, letting the Japanese people hold elections
for the first time.
Essentially, American involvement in post-war Japan, along with their significant financial
support, launched the country into one of the biggest economic recoveries in recent
history.
Today, Japan has the fifth largest economy and is the fifth largest exporter in the world.
The US is Japan’s strongest economic partner, and as a result of their intervention, the
US has enjoyed consuming Japan’s exports, particularly cars and electronics.
Additionally, the two countries share a Mutual Security Assistance Pact, which essentially
says that both countries will militarily defend each other from any foreign attacks.
These efforts, in addition to lessened tensions as subsequent generations have shifted their
priorities, has led to a close and complementary relationship between the two countries.
While the United States and Japan maintain a strong relationship today, China is another
story.
To learn about the dark and violent past between the two asian nations, check out our video
here.
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