Japanese military officials this week will meet with their US counterparts in Hawaii to review bilateral defense guidelines.  The first such meeting in 17 years is accompanied by Tokyo’s growing awareness that the US isn’t in any hurry to confront China militarily.

The problem is the Senkaku Islands, under Japanese control for more than a century but claimed by China since the 1970s, when offshore oil and gas reserves were found.  Tokyo wants Washington to join in on brainstorming scenarios in which China might try to take the islands and how the allies might respond.

But Washington takes no position on the sovereignty of the islands, other than to recognize that Japan administers them and says they fall under the US-Japan Security Treaty, which obligates America to come to Japan's defense.  And Washington doesn’t want to limit its defense planning to the burr under Japan’s saddle.

The Obama administration is also acutely aware of growing nationalism expressed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and people surrounding him, which Beijing claims is a regional threat.  Both sides are increasing military spending.