First published in 1984, Western Europe and Japan Between the Superpowers is a challenging contribution to the great debate over Western security. Instead of lining up with those who favour the construction of a global alliance under American leadership or those who want neutralism or non-alignment, Wolf Mendl accepts some of the premises of both and argues for a third course.

Taking a long view, he suggests that Japan and the three major states of Western Europe should collaborate in pursuing policies which retain a basic but limited security relationship with the United States and at the same time reassure the Soviet Union that its security is not threatened, seeking to make it a partner rather than adversary in creating a more peaceful world order.

Wolf Mendl concludes his broad and reflective historical analysis of the postwar era with a discussion of the areas in which the European states and Japan could enter a fruitful collaboration; sometimes acting in parallel and sometimes together.