This book explores the ideational motives behind the establishment of the ‘Trilateral Strategic Dialogue’ (TSD) between Japan, Australia, and the United States, finalized in March 2006. While realists view the TSD as a power-balancing act against a rising China, the author highlights non-material reasons for this security cooperation. The three nations share democratic values and longstanding alliances with the U.S., particularly Japan and Australia. Using a constructivist approach, the author posits that a strong collective identity among the leaders, shaped by shared norms and democratic principles, played a crucial role in forming the TSD. The analysis illuminates the normative drivers behind this relationship and the values that connected the leaders of the three countries. It details the objectives of the TSD and addresses the absence of South Korea, another democracy and U.S. ally, from the framework. Additionally, the book positions the TSD as a critical step in the broader strategy of these governments to foster a community of democratic states in the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing the evolving security dynamics and the intimate ties that have developed among the allies.
