Asia Times published a piece by Mr. Grant Newsham, a Risk Mitigation Foundation Advisor and the CEO of its affiliated "3rd Rail" organization, on the important task for the United States and Japan to accomplish in terms of "balancing" the defense relationship and burdens between the U.S. forces and the JSDF. Mr. Newsham observes:
"This imbalance has created a misshapen JSDF unable to address current and developing threats, or to be of much use to US forces except in niche roles of submarine and anti-submarine warfare and air defense. Considerable roles, perhaps, but still niche roles."
Grant Newsham has an extensive background in the risk mitigation and management fields with the private sector, in addition to serving as a former U.S. diplomat, and as the former U.S. Marine liaison officer with the Japanese Self Defense Forces.