analysts differ as to the political ramifications of the deployment. one view is that it represents the emergence of japan as a close military ally of the united states, strategically positioned as a counterweight to china's growing regional power. this position asserts that the iraq deployment offers a constitutional model for future overseas deployment in circumvention of article 9. another interpretation is that the deployment is entirely symbolic as it comes at little financial or human cost to the koizumi administration, has a negligible effect on the strategic situation in iraq, and is simply aimed at maintaining positive relations with the u.s. so as to perpetuate a favorable economic relationship.