India and Japan may be poised for a significant upgrade in their bilateral relationship. Stronger India-Japan ties could help facilitate closer relations between India and the United States, increase Japan’s ties to countries in South and Southeast Asia, and allow India to feel more comfortable acting outside of its immediate sphere of influence. However, these developments are likely to proceed much more slowly than general economic and diplomatic ties, meaning patience will be necessary to change improving Indo-Japanese relations into a boon for stability in the Asia-Pacific.