Late last year Japan and the United States were buffeted by political turbulence. After briefly stirring fears of prolonged trouble, the chaos has died down.
U.S. political confusion stemmed from uncertainties over the results of the presidential election. Some people even feared that the U.S. would have no elected president in the immediate future. The trouble was caused by the esoteric Electoral College system, which dates back to the birth of the U.S., and by sloppy vote-counting methods. After court disputes were resolved, the Republican administration of President George W. Bush took over.
Under the Bush administration, no major change is expected in U.S. policy toward East Asia, despite initial fears that Washington might revert to its former policy of seeking regional stability through military power.
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