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WiSe 18/19: AM: Japan's International Relations

Dr. Corey Wallace

Kommentar

In early 2013, barely two months after his own remarkable comeback from the political wilderness, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo stood in front of an audience of America’s foremost foreign policy elites and declared “Japan is back”. This might seem curious given that 25 years ago there was talk of Japan surpassing the United States economically and technologically on its way to superpower status. Now the Japanese prime minister felt compelled to assure the United States and the world that it would never become a ‘tier two’ country. Why? Japanese political instability and economic stagnation since the early 1990s have limited Japan’s ambitions since then, but regional and global geopolitical changes also played a role. Optimism about the rise of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as a powerful economy and responsible international stakeholder seemed to result in Japan’s foreign policy becoming an afterthought for many scholars, journalists and policy practitioners from the start of the new millennium. China quickly became the leading economic partner of all of Japan’s most important economic and strategic partners, including its sole ally, the United States. Almost every country formulated engagement policies in order to profit from constructive relations with the PRC and to downplay differences. Could Japan do anything useful in regional and global politics given the seemingly inevitability of the Chinese juggernaut becoming the center of East Asia, if not the Asia-Pacific? Recently, attitudes throughout the world towards both Japan and China have clearly changed. Japan has sought to address its economic stagnation and political instability, and there has been a reorganization of Japan’s foreign policy framework over the last decade. Globally and regionally, there is much greater awareness that Japan is important precisely because of China’s rise. China’s economic advance remains remarkable, but developments in China’s political, societal and foreign policy spheres now give many pause for concern and make this economic potential seem ominous rather than an opportunity. In South Asia, Oceania and Southeast Asia, many nations have encouraged a more proactive Japanese geopolitical role – including even a military role. This course provides students with an introduction to Japan’s international relations and the various interests that shape Japan’s approach to the region and outside world. It begins by exploring the regional geopolitical environment surrounding Japan, the unique vulnerabilities that challenge Japanese policymakers, and how both have changed over time. The course then looks at Japan’s interests and behavior through the lens of the four major foreign policy analytical domains: economics, military security, internal dynamics, and diplomatic strategy. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe and analyze the factors that drive Japan’s foreign policy behavior and interpret the significance of current events for Japan’s foreign policy approach. Schließen