unit 11

1. • Structure: Cold War bipolairty, Post-Cold
War: Security Treaty, US alliance,
bipolarity
• Agency: Maintaining US alliance remains
priority
• Norms: Bilateralism above all others
Last Week: Challenges for Japan

2. Unit 11
Conclusion
Professor Glenn
Hook

3. Aim
• To review and consolidate our understanding
of Japan’s international relations in
theoretical, conceptual and empirical terms
and to reflect on the role of
Japan in the world.

4. Objectives
• To review the relative importance of structure, agency and
norms in explaining Japan’s international relations in the
postwar and post-Cold War eras – in terms of politics,
economics and security.
• To consolidate how structure, agency and norms can be
used to explain Japan’s relationship with the US and East
Asia.
• To revise the primary challenges and constraints faced by
Japan in its international relations going forward.

5. Introduction
• Japan’s international relations charted in relation to the rise
and fall of great powers
• Challenger, but ultimately sought support of major power of
the day (China, UK, US)
• Within the bounds of constraints and opportunities dictated
by the international system, Japan instrumentalised its
foreign relations to catch up with the West.

6. Structure, agency and norms
• Structure, agency and norms can be used in combination to
provide a distinct, eclectic theoretical approach which can
explain Japan’s international relations;
• Key elements: structure of the international system, agency
of leading actors, norms which inform actions;
• Changing structure, from bipolar to multipolar and back
again(?), increasing agency of the Prime Minister, pre-
eminence of bilateralism internationally and antimilitarism
domestically

7. US-Japan political relationship
• Japan’s behaviour within the context of the US-Japan
political relationship can be understood through the structure,
agency, and norms approach.
• Structure can impede/constrain Japan’s behaviour and can
also provide opportunities.
• Agency is important in accepting the pressures of structure,
initiating and negotiating policy. It involves a range of actors.
• Norms can constrain as well as provide opportunity for
behaviour or policy.

8. Japan-US economic relationship
• Japan changed from a devastated economy through a
second-tier economy, to a challenger to the US economic
dominance;
• Case studies demonstrate US dominance and pressure in
trade disputes (Automobiles, steel, semiconductors);
• In the Post-Cold War period, Japan has learned to use
the multilateral institutions to seek a solution more
favorable to its national interests.

9. US-Japan security relationship
• The general trend has been for a weakening of the
constraints on the Self-Defence Forces;
• The US pressure has decreased and Japan has shown
greater willingness to boost cooperation with the US
military;
• A weakening of the anti-militarism norm in shaping the US-
Japan bilateral security relationship;
• Reaffirmation of bilateralism despite Japan’s increased
tendency towards independence.

10. East Asia-Japan
political relationship
• Japan’s behaviour within the context of its relations with East
Asia can be understood through the lens of structure, agency
and norms
• Asianist and Developmental norms have been at the heart of
Japan’s post-war attempts to re-connect with East Asia
• The bipolar structure of the Cold War defined Japan’s pre-
1990 relations. The US-Japan Security Alliance continues to
act as an impediment to deepened relations with ASEAN.
• The legacy of colonialism continues to define Japan’s
relations with its Northeast Asian neighbours, less so with the
ASEAN states.

11. East Asia-Japan
economic relations
• East Asian Economic Crisis damaged Japan’s reputation;
• China represents challenge to regional economic leadership;
• Difficulty in balancing between Asianism, Economism, and
Developmentalism on the one hand, and the bilateral
relationship with the US on the other;
• But . . . The post-crisis strategy has worked to restore Japan’s
position to a large extent;
• Pressure from China has given Japan impetus to further
integrate with East Asian economies, especially ASEAN.

12. East Asia-Japan
security relations
• Strong commitment to bilateralism constrains Japan’s efforts to
developing new security links in East Asia;
• New opportunities for Japan to promote multi-lateral security
dialogue in the region (e.g. ASEAN Forum), which however is only
supplementary to its bilateralism;
• Challenges for Japan to developing new security links in the region:
a. Structural legacy of war (China; Korea);
b. Taiwan and North Korea issues.

13. Challenges for Japan
• China’s rise and territorial problem
• US – military presence and realignment
• North Korea

14. Conclusion
• Strong commitment to bilateralism constrains Japan’s
efforts to developing new security links in East Asia;
• New opportunities for Japan to promote multi-lateral
security dialogue in the region (e.g. ASEAN Forum),
which however is only supplementary to its bilateralism;
• Challenges for Japan to developing new security links in
the region:
a. Structural legacy of war (China; Korea);
b. Taiwan and North Korea issues.