Japan’s Security Identity: From a Peace State to an International State

Japan: From Passive Partner to Active Ally

“…They saw Japan's abrogation of its security role to the United States as a 'humiliation' and argued for Japan to adopt a more autonomous defence posture, even as they came around to supporting the US alliance at the core of Japan's national security policies. 10 Yoshida's approach also made Japan vulnerable to US accusations of 'free riding'; that is, benefiting from the security that America's engagement provided without contributing to the upkeep of this engagement. Criticism of this failing was especially pronounced from the 1970s.…”

Kampen om idémessige forklaringer på japansk sikkerhetspolitikk: Kina i Japans identitetskonstruksjon

“…I senere tid har nyklassiske realister nyansert de realistiske argumentene, gjennom å trekke veksler på interne forhold i Japan, samtidig som man vektlegger realistiske nøkkelbegreper som anarki, trusler og sikkerhetsbalanse (Heginbotham og Samuels 1998;Midford 2002;Lind 2004;Samuels 2007aSamuels , 2007bHughes 2009b). 1990-tallets normkonstruktivisme er også videreført i en større litteratur (Catalinac 2007;Ashizawa 2008;Oros 2008Oros , 2014Oros , 2015Singh 2008Singh , 2013Rozman 2012Rozman , 2013.…”

Asian Multilateralism in the Age of Japan's ‘New Normal’: Perils and Prospects

“…Backed by the Yoshida Doctrine, Japan focused principally on economic development and regional integration while leaving its military security in the hands of its ally, the United States. Within this 'Japan as peace state' phase (Singh, 2013), Japan relied largely on a foreign policy strategy of quiet diplomacy, soft power, and implicit regional leadership. No less proactive, this form of regional engagement -also known as 'directional leadership' , leadership by 'stealth' , and/or 'leadership from behind' (Drifte, 1998;Hook, 2009;Rix, 1993;Terada, 2001) -has played an important role in the formation and maintenance of Asia's complex architecture of regional arrangements.…”

“…Driven by its growing aspirations, a changing regional strategic environment, and the rise of Chinese power and influence, Japan has undertaken a key policy shift described variously as 'from the Yoshida Doctrine to the Koizumi Doctrine' and/or from a 'peace state' to an 'international state' (Tang, 2007: 117;Singh, 2013). What ramifications would a revitalized and assertive Japan have as such for Asian multilateralism?…”