Who shapes the national security debate?
Japanese security policy has evolved in the post-Cold War era, with Tokyo becoming increasingly internationally involved. Since the early 1990s, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) have participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations (UN PKO) and provided rear-area support to allies engaged in armed conflict. To better understand Japan’s increased assertiveness in security matters and the implications for its relationships with its Asian neighbors and the United States, one must examine Japan’s domestic political context. Japanese security politics are contentious, reflecting divergent interpretations of what policies Tokyo should pursue toward Asia and the United States, what broader international role Japan should play, and what state identity the…
