Policymakers in the United States, China, and other Asian powers must choose whether to deal forthrightly and sensibly with the changing regional power distribution or avoid the hard decisions that China’s rise poses until the situation grows ever more polarized and dangerous.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), with congressional approval, is primed to have “fast track” status to avoid public debate. The TPP would provide new incentives to send jobs abroad, increase corporate earnings, remove protections from both overseas and U.S. environments and workers; supporters argue that it is necessary to “outflank” China.

Interactions among China, Japan and the United States have gone far beyond the constraints of political stereotypes. The flow of capital, material, technology and people has brought the countries ever closer together. Embracing common interests, not “balancing power”, is the key to peace and prosperity for all three.

Abe’s visit to the U.S. stimulated Japan’s assertiveness while giving Tokyo a pass on taking serious responsibility for its colonial oppression and aggression against its Asian neighbors. The U.S. could do more to nudge its ally to acknowledge its history and to be a promoter of peace in the region.

In the new phase of the U.S. rebalancing strategy, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, stressed military capacity building, the acceleration of TPP negotiations, and increased use of the U.S.’s network of allies and partners. This will create more unnecessary tension, imbalance, and estranged economic Free Trade Agreements.

With US-Japan military cooperation as its main pillar, the deepening US military involvement in Asia goes against the world tide of peace and development, and against the will of the Asian people. The American government would do well to study the lessons of history as it cements its partnership with Tokyo.

"Albert Speer's Grandson Addresses Joint Session Of Congress." Can you imagine that headline? I can't either, particularly if Speer's grandson had devoted much of his life to rehabilitating his grandfather's image, was on record as being sympathetic to Holocaust deniers and had used his political base among Germany's neo-Nazis as the springboard to secure the prime ministership.

Japan’s PM Abe’s amnesia toward past military crimes and general xenophobia calls into question whether a U.S. alliance with Japan is in the U.S.’s best interest – especially in dealing with the challenges on the Korean peninsula.

Despite a recent Pew Research survey indicated that two-thirds of Japanese do not want a more active military, Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the U.S. saw the release of new “Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation,” which risks U.S. involvement in Japan’s territorial claims.

Japan’s leader made a good show out of his US visit, but the struggle to nail down a TTP deal actually highlighted deep differences between the two countries. Meanwhile, Japan’s stance on revising history continues to irritate many in Washington as it does across Asia.