Japan's Arduous Rejuvenation as a Global Power

This open access book assesses the profound impact of Japan's aspirations to become a great power on Japanese security, democracy and foreign relations. Rather than viewing the process of normalization and rejuvenation as two decades of remilitarization in face of rapidly changing strategic environment and domestic political circumstances, this volume contextualizes Japan's contemporary international relations against the longer grain of Japanese historical interactions. It demonstrates that policies and statecraft in the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's era are a continuation of a long, unbroken and arduous effort by successive generations of leaders to preserve Japanese autonomy, enhance security and advance Japanese national interests. Arguing against the notion that Japan cannot work with China as long as the US-Japan alliance is in place, the book suggests that Tokyo could forge constructive relations with Beijing by engaging China in joint projects in and outside of the Asia-Pacific in issue areas such as infrastructure development or in the provision of international public goods. It also submits that an improvement in Japan-China relations would enhance rather than detract Japan-US relations and that Tokyo will find that her new found autonomy in the US-Japan alliance would not only accord her more political respect and strategic latitude, but also allow her to ameliorate the excesses of American foreign policy adventurism, paving for her to become a truly normal great power.

Examines the history of Japan's evolving relations with China, Southeast Asia and selected cases in the Middle East Appraises the neo Conservatives' movement to normalise Japan's diplomacy over the last two decades Considers the impact of the current US-Japan relationship on Japan's position in Asia

Autorentext
Victor Teo is Assistant Professor at the Department of Japanese Studies at the University of Hong Kong. He received his PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and his primary research interests lie in the International Relations of Asia Pacific, with particular emphasis on the politics and foreign relations of Japan and China, as well as North Korean issues.

Klappentext

This open access book assesses the profound impact of Japan s aspirations to become a great power on Japanese security, democracy and foreign relations. Rather than viewing the process of normalization and rejuvenation as two decades of remilitarization in face of rapidly changing strategic environment and domestic political circumstances, this volume contextualizes Japan s contemporary international relations against the longer grain of Japanese historical interactions. It demonstrates that policies and statecraft in the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe s era are a continuation of a long, unbroken and arduous effort by successive generations of leaders to preserve Japanese autonomy, enhance security and advance Japanese national interests. Arguing against the notion that Japan cannot work with China as long as the US-Japan alliance is in place, the book suggests that Tokyo could forge constructive relations with Beijing by engaging China in joint projects in and outside of the Asia-Pacific in issue areas such as infrastructure development or in the provision of international public goods. It also submits that an improvement in Japan-China relations would enhance rather than detract Japan-US relations and that Tokyo will find that her new found autonomy in the US-Japan alliance would not only accord her more political respect and strategic latitude, but also allow her to ameliorate the excesses of American foreign policy adventurism, paving for her to become a truly normal great power.

Inhalt

1. The Rejuvenation of Japan.- 2. Japan's Rejuvenation: Origins, Debates and Concepts.- 3. Japan's Rejuvenation and the US-China Divide.- 4. Peacekeepers But Not Quite Peacebuilders: Japan's Evolving Role in the Middle East Peace Process.- 5. The Provision of International Public Goods: Japan's Anti-Piracy Operations in the Gulf of Aden.- 6. Recalibrating Japan's Foreign Policy.