Title: Japan's shifting security stance : coping with change
Abstract: This thesis focuses on changes to Japan's national security outlook. For over halfna century, Japan has cultivated a low-key pacifist stance on global security affairs.nNow, with increased threats to security, this stance is changing. Such changenhas sparked significant controversy as to what type of national security outlooknwill replace the long-held pacifist orientation that has typified Japan for over fivendecades. This thesis highlights the importance of understanding the Implicationsnof these changes for Japan. In doing so. It offers specific theoretical andnempirical Insights into the linkages between Japan's strategic behaviour andnpolicy making. It argues that Japan's interpretations of power and force are. Innpart, a function of its inherent and constant strategic culture.nnnWhilst strategic culture itself continues to prompt academic debate. It can benargued that recognizing a country's policy propensities, attitudes and behaviour,nprovides a holistic approach to understanding specific strategic change. This Isnnot to suggest that strategic culture represents the only causal factor In strategicnchange, but rather it signifies a critical element worth further examination. An'culturalist' perspective also enables the researcher to provide an Interpretation ofnhistory that demonstrates a constructive and moderating perspective about anparticular state's strategic behaviour.nFor Japan, it can be argued this country's strategic culture Is one that hasndeveloped throughout history based on a value system that promoted hierarchynand achieving 'power, prestige and position.' In particular, the significance ofnencouraging these three features - that of power, prestige and position - Is a traitnthat can be traced back to feudal times, highlighting realpolitik as an Integral partnof Japan's strategic makeup. In keeping with this primordial value system,nJapanese policy makers have typically sought to gain strategic leverage byningratiating themselves with perceived developments and trends of the day. This has meant that Japan's strategic directives have tended to follow and adapt to,nrather than create the rules of the international environment. If this argument isncorrect, there is a noteworthy consistency underlying what otherwise may benperceived as sharp oscillations in Japan's security policy.nnnAdopting this approach in the case of Japan also avoids becoming embroiled innthe classical dichotomy over whether change to that country's security stancenreveals a national culture of 'militarism' or 'pacifism'. Indeed, from a strategicncultural perspective, Japan's shifting security stance is neither based on a pacifistnor militarist pretext. It is, instead, fashioned by a policy-making elite that is guidednby key normative assumptions that are Integrated Into a culture based onnrealpolitik. The result for contemporary policy developments means that Japan isnlikely to continue to strengthen the bilateral alliance structure with the UnitednStates, whilst at the same time, balancing these ties with new security regionalnexpectations and commitments.n n This assessment might appear to concur with the views of structural realistnscholars. Structural realists contend that anarchy is the driving factor in Japan'snshifting security stance. Whilst such an assessment may be plausible givenncurrent global security challenges, it is emphasised here that Japan's strategicnpreferences are rooted in its realpolitik strategic culture. This is a strategic culturenthat has typically valued and promoted 'power, prestige and position'. Notably,nhowever, structural realist and cultural realist models are not Intended to bencompeting ones. Rather, the cultural realist model is one that endorses thenstructural realist argument, concurring with empirical evidence regarding hownstates 'think,' but In doing so, the cultural realist perspective also suggests thatnstructure cannot cause realpolitik behaviour. This behaviour is insteadnconstructed through long-held patterns In social interaction. The significance ofnapplying the strategic cultural model to the current shift In Japan's securitynposture, therefore, provides an important opportunity to demonstrate that Japan'sncultural realpolitik is one causal factor Influencing policy making. n Japan's latest changes in its shifting security stance come at a time when there Isnsignificant re-evaluation of the global security order. In particular, it is also a timenduring which the North East Asian region has reached a critical security juncture.nThis interval is one in which change to Japan's security Identity summons upnstrong sentiments of animosity by Japan's critics and at the same time generatesnopportunity for greater collective cooperation. The Issue of US forces, continuedndeployment in the East Asian region, the long-term viability of the North Koreannregime and the rise of China as a regional power all underscore these concerns.n n The overriding question addressed by this study is therefore, does a constantnJapanese strategic culture continue to influence Japan's policy-making elite? Ifnso, does it provide a moderating or exacerbating influence upon existing regionalnsecurity politics In North East Asia and beyond?n n This thesis addresses these issues by providing an Interpretation of Japan'snsecurity behaviour from a strategic cultural perspective. The author suggests thatnchange to Japan's security posture represents a pattern in which Japan hasntypically adapted, and will continue to adapt and accommodate to perceptions ofnthe 'trends of the time,' in order to achieve strategic cultural goals of 'power,nposition and prestige.' As such, the intent is that this research will contribute tonour understanding of how and why Japanese security politics have evolved In thenparticular way they have. At the same time, this research provides valuable andntimely insight into the contemporary Japanese security posture and thenconstruction of a new national security identity. This analysis is particularlynsignificant in understanding future regional and international security prospects.nn
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: dissertation
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot