Japanese security policy under Prime Minister Abe: A revival of militarism?

Venue: Yasuko Hiraoka Myer Room, Level 1, Sidney Myer Asia Centre

Presenters: Professor Glenn D. Hook

The predisposition of international relations scholars to examine the evolution of Japanese security policy through the prism of realism has been challenged by constructivist approaches. Whereas the former has recently paid attention to the change in security policy following the ‘rise of China,’ the latter continues to focus on the constraints on policy posed by antimilitarist norms. These two approaches lead to contenting interpretations for the constrained changes now taking place in Japanese security policy under Prime Minister Abe, but are these leading to a revival of militarism?

The purpose of this presentation, co-hosted by the Asia Institute and the Asian Law Centre is to investigate this question by examining three issues of central importance to the future of Japanese security policy. The first is the long-standing attempt to relocate the US Futenma Marine Air Station to Henoko in the north of Okinawa in the face of local opposition. The second is the introduction in 2014 of the three Principles on the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, which replaced the 1967 Three Principles of Arms Exports. And the third is the revised interpretation of Article 9 of the Constitution and the passage of legislation in 2016 allowing Japan to exercise the right to participate in collective Self-Defense. In conclusion the presentation will explore how these three issues help us to answer the question of whether or not the Abe administration’s security policy is leading to the revival of militarism.

from
https://events.unimelb.edu.au/events/7082-japanese-security-policy-under-prime-minister-abe-a-revival-of