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Dissertation

Nationalism in Japan’s contemporary foreign policy: a consideration of the cases of China, North Korea, and India

01 Feb 2013-
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored how political actors manipulated the concept of nationalism in foreign policy discourse and explored how the two administrations both used nationalism but in the pursuit of contrasting policies: an uncompromising stance to China and a conciliatory approach toward North Korea under the Koizumi administration, a hardline attitude against North Korea and the rapprochement with China by Abe, accompanied by a friendship-policy toward India.
Abstract: Under the Koizumi and Abe administrations, the deterioration of the Japan-China relationship and growing tension between Japan and North Korea were often interpreted as being caused by the rise of nationalism. This thesis aims to explore this question by looking at Japan’s foreign policy in the region and uncovering how political actors manipulated the concept of nationalism in foreign policy discourse. The methodology employs discourse analysis on five case studies. It will be explored how the two administrations both used nationalism but in the pursuit of contrasting policies: an uncompromising stance to China and a conciliatory approach toward North Korea under the Koizumi administration, a hard-line attitude against North Korea and the rapprochement with China by Abe, accompanied by a friendship-policy toward India. These case studies show how the nationalism is used in the competition between political leaders by articulating national identity in foreign policy. Whereas this often appears as a kind of assertiveness from outside China, in the domestic context leaders use nationalism to reconstruct Japan’s identity as a ‘peaceful nation’ through foreign policy by highlighting differences from ‘other’s or by achieving historic reconciliation. Such identity constructions are used to legitimize policy choices that are in themselves used to marginalize other policy options and political actors. In this way, nationalism is utilized as a kind of political capital in a domestic power relationship, as can be seen by Abe’s use of foreign policy to set an agenda of ‘departure from the postwar regime’. In a similar way, Koizumi’s unyielding stance against China was used to calm discontents among right-wing traditionalists who were opposed to his reconciliatory approach to Pyongyang. On the other hand, Abe also utilized a hard-line policy to the DPRK to offset his rapprochement with China whilst he sought to prevent the improved relationship from becoming a source of political capital for his rivals. The major insights of this thesis is thus to explain how Japan’s foreign policy is shaped by the attempts of its political leaders to manipulate nationalism so as articulating particular forms of national identity that enable them to achieve legitimacy for their policy agendas, boost domestic credentials and marginalize their political rivals.
Citations
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Book
01 Jan 2000
TL;DR: The seeker after the truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them, but rather, one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration, and not to the sayings of a human being whose nature is fraught with all kinds of imperfection and deformation as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Therefore, the seeker after the truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them, but rather the one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration, and not to the sayings of a human being whose nature is fraught with all kinds of imperfection and de‹ciency. Thus the duty of the man who investigates the writings of scientists, if learning the truth is his goal, is to make himself the enemy of all that he reads, and, applying his mind to the core and margins of its content, attack it from every side. He should also suspect himself as he performs his critical examination of it, so that he may avoid falling into either prejudice or leniency. (Ibn al-Haytham)1

512 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Rise and Fall of Japan's LDP: Political Party Organizations as Historical Institutions by Ellis S. Krauss and RobERT J. PEKKANEN as discussed by the authors, 2010. 318 pp.
Abstract: ELLIS S. KRAUSS and ROBERT J. PEKKANEN. The Rise and Fall of Japan's LDP: Political Party Organizations as Historical Institutions . Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 2010. 318 pp. US$26...

56 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Ryosei Kokubun1

6 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: After more than a decade of deterioration in the relations between Japan and China symbolized by the visit of then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine, the relationship finally turned around in 2006-2007 into a qualitatively different one preparing for a new regional order as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: After more than a decade of deterioration in the relations between Japan and China symbolized by the visit of then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine, the relationship finally turned around in 2006–2007 into a qualitatively different one preparing for a new regional order. This was made possible mainly by the realistic perceptional change of the Japanese public on the regional security environment and the corresponding policy change of the Chinese Government on Japan-related histoty. The USA, as an essential stakeholder in Japan–China relations, also has to change itself in order to maintain its presence and interests in Asia and grasp a golden opportunity to build a more stable regional and international order given the drastic change in Japan–China relations which are still fragile due to structural problems. To this end, the USA needs to reevaluate and understand well the changing Japanese perception of history and of the severe security situation around Japan. Also, a Japan–USA–China ...

6 citations

Book
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: In this paper, the problem of boundary re-drawing among and within Japanese political parties in Japan is discussed. But the focus is on the criminal justice system and not on the broader social order.
Abstract: Introduction: Why Boundaries?, Glenn D. Hook 1. Diplomacy on the Boundaries: The G8, International Society and Japan's Instrumentalization of Liminality, Hugo Dobson 2. The Strange Masochism of the Japanese Right: Redrawing Moral Boundaries in Sino-Japanese Relations, Shogo Suzuki 3. Japan's Responses to Actors outside the Boundaries of International Society: 'Rogue States' and North Korea's Nuclear Threats, Key-young Son 4. Navigating the Boundaries of the Interstate Society: Japan's Response to Piracy in Southeast Asia, Lindsay Black 5. Stronger Political Leadership and the Shift in Policy-making Boundaries in Japan, Shinoda Tomohito 6. Leadership Strategies: (Re)drawing Boundaries among and within Parties in Japan, Uchiyama Yu 7. The Problem of Boundaries for Japan's Local Authorities: Mergers, Public Services and the Growing Disparity in Japanese Society, Muto Hiromi 8. Adjusting the Boundaries between Keidanren and Labour Unions in Japan: A Critical Reappraisal of Globalization and Democracy, Hasegawa Harukiyo 9. Boundaries in Japan's Business and Government Relationship: Regression, Change and Facades, Peter von Staden 10. Shifting Boundaries in Japan's Criminal Justice System, Patricia G. Steinhoff 11. The Rapid Redrawing of Boundaries in Japanese Higher Education, Roger Goodman

5 citations


"Nationalism in Japan’s contemporary..." refers background in this paper

  • ...This constructivist turn is reflected in the work of scholars like Berger (1993, 1998), Katzenstein (1996), Soeya (1998-a), Hook, Hughes, Gilson and Dobson (2001), who have highlighted the normative and institutional constraints on the use of force, most notably the constitution and its legacy of history --- the use of force is highly...

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The issue of North Korean abduction of Japanese citizens in earlier decades intensified Japanese sentiment against the North and this issue halted bilateral normalization talks as discussed by the authors, and Japan has participated in six-party talks on the nuclear issue since 2004, but its distinct bilateral interests vis-a-vis North Korea, South Korea and the United States limit its influence in the multiparty engagement.
Abstract: North Korea became an urgent problem for Japan as a result of the 1994 nuclear crisis in North Korea, the 1998 missile launch over Japan and the 2003-4 nuclear crisis. At the historic Tokyo-Pyongyang summit in September 2002, both sides acknowledged the need to solve the security issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula through peaceful, multilateral efforts. However, the issue of North Korean abduction of Japanese citizens in earlier decades intensified Japanese sentiment against the North and this issue halted bilateral normalization talks. Japan has participated in six-party talks on the nuclear issue since 2004, but its distinct bilateral interests vis-a-vis North Korea, South Korea and the United States limit its influence in the multiparty engagement.

5 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The growing Japanese Nationalism has become a subject of intense debate during the last one decade, in particular after revision of the history textbooks, formal recognition of the ‘Kimigayo’ anthem and formalization of the national anthem.
Abstract: ‘Growing Japanese Nationalism’ has become a subject of intense debate during the last one decade, in particular after revision of the history textbooks, formal recognition of the ‘Kimigayo’ anthem ...

5 citations