Japanђ́ةs Arduous Rejuvenation as a Global Power : Democratic Resilience and the US-China Challenge

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. Japan’s Arduous Rejuvenation as a Global Power Preface Acknowledgments Contents Chapter 1: The Rejuvenation of Japan The Problem of Understanding Japan’s Rejuvenation Understanding Japan’s Foreign Policy: A Conceptual Survey Contradictory Tendencies, Democratic Resilience and Japan’s Difficult Rejuvenation The Idea of Normalization and Rejuvenation Beyond Zero-Sum Games and Binary Choices: Transcending the US-China Divide Chapter Overview and Synopsis References Chapter 2: Japan’s Rejuvenation: Origins, Debates and Concepts Japan’s Political and Philosophical Traditions: Equality, Hierarchy and Exceptionalism The China Dilemma Japan’s Exceptionalism The San Francisco System and the Making of an “Abnormal” Japan Mainstream Conservatism in Japanese Politics During the Cold War The Rise of Neo-Conservatism: From Normalization to the Rejuvenation of Japan The Contours of the Debate on Japan’s Rejuvenation The Central Pillars of Rejuvenation Theme One: Constitutional Revisionism Theme Two: The Nature and Tone of the US-Japan Alliance Theme Three: Pacifism, the Use of Force and Global Engagement The Fusion of Democracy and Pacifism The Subjugation of the Military Hiding in Plain Sight: Nationalists and Conservatives in Postwar Japan Pacifism and Spectator Democracy: Becoming Peace-Loving Global Citizens The Erosion of Pacifism: Can Democracy and Historical Revisionism Co-Exist? Neo-Conservatism and the Paradoxes of Japanese Democracy References Chapter 3: Japan’s Rejuvenation and the US-China Divide Japan’s Asia Strategy and the US-China Challenge Cautioning America’s Unilateralism Is the “Anti-China” Position Necessarily Conducive to Japanese Interests? The Contestation in Southeast Asia: Winning Hearts and Minds References Chapter 4: Peacekeepers But Not Quite Peacebuilders: Japan’s Evolving Role in the Middle East Peace Process Japan’s Foray into the Middle East A Brief Synopsis of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Japan’s Involvement in the Arab-Israeli Conflict The Need to Revamp Japan’s Peacebuilding Strategy Fostering Better Socio-Economic Conditions Japan’s Undisputable Credentials as a Peacemaker Losing Sight of the Forest for the Trees The Neo-Conservatives’ Peacebuilding Efforts in the Trump Era References Chapter 5: The Provision of International Public Goods: Japan’s Anti-Piracy Operations in the Gulf of Aden Piracy as a Security Challenge Genesis of Japan’s Anti-Piracy Efforts Piracy in the Gulf of Aden: An Overview International Law and the Piracy Problem Japan’s Response to the Piracy Problems in the Gulf Working with the Chinese PLAN and the Multilateral Provision of International Public Goods Conclusion References Chapter 6: Recalibrating Japan’s Foreign Policy Japan’s Rejuvenation from the Perspective of the US and China The US: The Preservation of Pre-Eminent Status Between Revisionism and Realpolitik: China’s Japan Problem Resistance from Below: Democratic Resilience and Rejuvenation Challenges for the Future Putting Japan’s Self-Interest First: Asia and Beyond Pre-Requisites for Global Leadership: Gaining Respect of Asian Neighbors Working with US in the Asia-Pacific and with China Beyond References Index 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 automony 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