Surely Not a Defeat for Hope

While I imagine that the US-Japanese alliance will remain largely intact, it is hard not to imagine our press portraying this election result as a defeat for President Bush and a rejection of his foreign policy had it taken place on his watch:

Some members of Hatoyama's party have said they want to overhaul the U.S.-Japan security alliance under which 50,000 troops are deployed throughout Japan. That idea has met with strong opposition from Washington, although plans are already under way for 8,000 Marines to be relocated from the southern island of Okinawa to the U.S. territory of Guam.

Hatoyama said has no intention to back down on plans to push for a review of the U.S. military presence, but also said that he did not intend to push the issue right away.

But the alliance will surely weaken under the Democratic Party of Japan. I wonder if the new Japanese government will continue to see Taiwan's self rule as an important pillar of their defense?

And more importantly, will China believe that there is less of a chance that Japan will intervene on Taiwan's side if China invades Taiwan?