In the face of China's continued rise and increased assertiveness, strengthened U.S. engagement in Asia — as evidenced by U.S. President Barack Obama's official visit to Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar so soon after his re-election — is good news for Japan and the region, whether you refer to it as a "pivot" or a "rebalance."
Yet, lost in the talk of reinvigorated diplomatic and defense cooperation between the United States and its Pacific allies is the need for further steps to increase critical business-to-business and people-to-people contacts. Such interactions are a valuable cornerstone of both commercial and "cultural diplomacy" and can enhance traditional diplomatic relationships in subtle, wide-ranging and more sustainable ways.
For the past seven decades, the U.S. and Japan have maintained a strong, though sometimes tumultuous, bilateral relationship. This can and needs to be built on. Education is one possible starting point — and certainly less controversial than the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks — with concrete steps needed to encourage more Americans to study in Japan and likewise, more Japanese to study in the U.S.