Alignment Despite AntagonismJapan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have been two of the most critical pillars of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region for the past thirty years. At the same time, their relationship has fluctuated markedly and unpredictably. Despite the existence of a common ally in the United States and common security threats from the former Soviet Union, China, and North Korea, bilateral relations between Japan and South Korea have been