Japan’s Reluctant Realism : Foreign Policy Challenges in an Era of Uncertain Power

Has Japanese foreign policy changed in the post - Cold War era? On the surface, it appears to have been quite consistent since the end of World War II. It has stressed the US-Japanese security alliance, the use of economic tools, and constraints on the use of force. However, this book argues that new ideas and new patterns of diplomacy have in fact come about following the changes after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Using case studies that look at China, the Korean peninsulas, Russia and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and international institutions, Michael Green uncovers a more Japanese foreign policy in Japan. Though it still converges with the US on fundamental issues, it is increasingly independent. While remaining low-risk, it is more sensitive to balance-of-power issues. It is still reactive, but it is far less passive. Green argues that this emerging strategic view, what he calls “reluctant realism,” is being shaped by a combination of changes in the international environment, insecurity about national power resources, and Japanese aspirations for a national identity that moves beyond the legacy of World War II. As a result, it is time for the US and the world to recognize Japan as an independent actor in Northeast Asia and to assess Japanese foreign policy on its own terms. In Japan's Reluctant Realism , Michael J. Green examines the adjustments of Japanese foreign policy in the decade since the end of the Cold War. Green presents case studies of China, the Korean peninsula, Russia and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the international financial institutions, and multilateral forums (the United Nations, APEC, and the ARF). In each of these studies, Green considers Japanese objectives; the effectiveness of Japanese diplomacy in achieving those objectives; the domestic and exogenous pressures on policy-making; the degree of convergence or divergence with the United States in both strategy and implementation; and lessons for more effective US - Japan diplomatic cooperation in the future. As Green notes, its bilateral relationship with the United States is at the heart of Japan's foreign policy initiatives, and Japan therefore conducts foreign policy with one eye carefully on Washington. However, Green argues, it is time to recognize Japan as an independent actor in Northeast Asia, and to assess Japanese foreign policy in its own terms. This is an examination of the adjustments of Japanese foreign policy in the decade since the end of the Cold War. Michael J. Green presents case studies of China, the Korean peninsula, Russia and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the international financial institutions, and multilateral forums (the United Nations, APEC, and the ARF). In each of these studies, Green considers Japanese objectives: the effectiveness of Japanese diplomacy in achieving those objectives; the domestic and exogenous pressures on policy making; the degree of convergence or divergence with the United States in both strategy and implementation; and lessons for more effective US-Japan diplomatic co-operation in the future. As Green notes, its bilateral relationship with the United States is at the heart of Japan's foreign policy initiatives, and Japan therefore conducts foreign policy with one eye carefully on Washington. However, Green argues, it is time to recognize Japan as an independent actor in Northeast Asia, and to assess Japanese foreign policy in its own terms This volume examines the adjustments of Japanese foreign policy in the decade since the end of the Cold War. Green presents case studies of China, the Korean peninsula, Russia and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the international financial institutions, and multilateral forums (the United Nations, APEC, and the ARF). In each of these studies, Green considers: Japanese objectives; the effectiveness of Japanese diplomacy in achieving those objectives; the domestic and exogenous pressures on policy-making the degree of convergence or divergence with the United States in both strategy; and implementation and lessons for more effective US-Japan diplomatic co-operation in the future. As Green notes, its bilateral relationship with the United States is at the heart of Japan's foreign policy initiatives, and Japan therefore conducts foreign policy with one eye carefully on Washington. However, Green argues, it is time to recognize Japan as an independent actor in Northeast Asia, and to assess Japanese foreign policy in its own terms This text examines Japan's foreign policy in the decade since the end of the Cold War. Michael J. Green uses case studies from various countries and institutions in order to consider Japanese objectives and the heart of Japanese foreign policy initiatives. "Michael J. Green is Senior Fellow for Asian Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., and a professional lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Internatioanl Studies."--BOOK JACKET. "Michael J. Green is Senior Fellow for Asian Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., and a professional lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies."--Jacket To understand Japanese foreign policy on its own terms, one must begin with the evolution of the debate about Japan's role in the world and its relationship with the United States.