Epilogue: Whither the SDF and the Cold War Defense Identity?

Seven decades have elapsed since the reestablishment of Japan’s postwar military, and three since the end of the Cold War. In some ways, little has changed since its formation and since the latter historic geopolitical milestone. Just as scholars and the public regard the postwar era as not yet having come to an end for Japan, the Cold War, too, seems to live on. Disagreements over war memory and territorial disputes, which went largely unaddressed during the Cold War, continue to complicate Japan’s relations with its Asian neighbors. Structurally, Japan’s security arrangement remains the same; seventy years on, the US-Japan