Japan's Maritime Security Strategy: The Japan Coast Guard and Maritime Outlaws (Critical Studies of the Asia-Pacific)

Critical Studies of the Asia-Pacific showcases new research and scholarship on what is arguably the most important region in the world in the twenty-first century. The rise of China and the continuing strategic importance of this dynamic economic area to the United States mean that the Asia Pacific will remain crucially important to policymakers and scholars alike. The unifying theme of the series is a desire to publish the best theoretically informed, original research on the region. Titles in the series cover the politics, economics and security of the region, as well as focussing on its institutional processes, individual countries, issues and leaders. Since the late 1990s, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has countered a myriad of 'outlaw' threats at sea including piracy, terrorism, the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and the threat posed by 'rogue states'. Japan's innovative strategy has transformed maritime security governance in Southeast Asia and beyond. In recent times, international society has countered a myriad of 'outlaw' threats at sea, including piracy, terrorism, the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and the threat posed by 'rogue states'. Whilst the US has promoted 'coalitions of the willing' and sought to transform international maritime law in response to these 'outlaws', Japanese governments have developed an innovative maritime security strategy centering on the Japan Coast Guard (JCG). Concerned by Japan's international image as a former imperialist power, Tokyo has relied upon the identity of the JCG as a law enforcement and rescue organization to garner support for its maritime security strategy. Japan's non-military efforts have developed the capacities of states and built institutions in the Southeast Asian region and beyond. The JCG's response to maritime 'outlaws' belies characterizations of Japan as a passive state that does not contribute to international order Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-14 Japan: An Innovative Power?....Pages 15-34 Defining Outlaws....Pages 35-61 The Root Causes of Outlaw Behaviour....Pages 62-96 North Korean ‘Suspicious Ships’....Pages 97-116 Piracy in Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Aden....Pages 117-140 Counter-Terrorism and Proliferation at Sea....Pages 141-164 Conclusion....Pages 165-174 Back Matter....Pages 175-221