The Abe Doctrine

Japan's Proactive Pacifism and Security Strategy

Daisuke Akimoto

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9789811076589
• eBook ISBN:
  9789811076596
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Asian Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Provides academic and policy information on the 'Abe Doctrine'

Explores the international trajectory of Japan's foreign and security policies in the next three to five years

Demonstrates how the policy components of the 'Abe Doctrine' will be Japan's new grand strategy

© The Author(s) 2018

Daisuke AkimotoThe Abe Doctrinehttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7659-6_1

Begin Abstract

1. Introduction

Daisuke Akimoto¹

(1)

Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

This research scrutinizes policy implications of the Peace and Security Legislation for Japan’s Ballistic Missile Defense system, the Japan–USA alliance system, and Japan’s policy on international peacekeeping operations in South Sudan. It attempts to reveal the emergence of the ‘Abe Doctrine’ by anatomizing its components of security strategy as well as the strategic implication of Prime Minister Abe’s policy toward the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The significance of this research lies in the fact that whereas earlier work examined the possible existence of the Abe Doctrine by analyzing its ideological elements, this book identifies domestic/bilateral/global implications of Prime Minister Abe’s ‘proactive contribution to peace’ policy and the Peace and Security Legislation as concrete examples of the Abe Doctrine.

Keywords

Abe DoctrineBallistic Missile Defense (BMD)Japan–USA alliancePeacekeeping operations (PKO)Grand strategy

End Abstract

This book examines Japan’s foreign and security policy, especially under the Shinzo Abe government. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power after his predecessor Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stepped down in September 2006. Although Prime Minister Abe planned to enhance Japan’s security policy and strengthen the Japan–USA alliance in his first cabinet (September 2006–August 2007), he ended up resigning within a year. After the fall of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) government (September 2009–December 2012), Prime Minister Abe came back to power in December 2012. Since then his government has reinvigorated Japan’s foreign and security policy in various ways. There are a number of books about Prime Minister Abe both in Japanese and in English. Much attention seems to be paid to the prime minister’s economic policy, also known as ‘ Abenomics’, and most of the Japanese-language titles resulted in one-sided and overheated criticism of or applause for the prime minister.

Understandably, most Japanese economists tend to focus on the economic policy of the Abe administration,¹ and international economists have also paid much attention to the prime minister’s economic initiative, namely Abenomics.² On the contrary, political scientists have examined Japanese political system under the Abe government, such as the ‘2012 political system’ being a new phase in Japanese politics,³ and the ‘ prime ministerial executive’ in comparison with the Westminster system.⁴ Meanwhile, Japanese political scientists have conducted a thorough review on the Abe government from multiple perspectives in an edited book.⁵ In particular, Seiji Endo of Seikei University has critically analyzed the foreign and security policy of the Abe administration under the policy of ‘ proactive contribution to peace’.⁶ Endo pointed out that the Abe government intentionally did not utilize the term ‘pacifism’ but chose the words ‘ proactive contribution to peace’ (sekkyokuteki heiwashugi), so that the government could promote both Japan’s international cooperation and military normalization at the same time.⁷

More specifically, Kyoji Yanagisawa , the former Director of the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) , observed that the policy of the Abe administration under the concept of proactive contribution to peace coincides with Japan’s military cooperation with the United States.⁸ In regard to Japan’s military normalization through the enactment of the Peace and Security Legislation, Marta Ross described the strategic policy facilitated by Prime Minister Abe as the ‘ Abe restoration’, and observed that ‘it is not only an effort to restore Japan’s confidence and pride, but is also an opportunity for Japan to demonstrate that it can exercise the responsible use of national power – economic, political, and military’.⁹ Likewise, Craig Mark conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Abe administration at political, economic, and strategic levels, and also described the leadership of the prime minister as ‘ Abe restoration’.¹⁰

Another distinguished earlier study by Christopher Hughes investigated the foreign and security policy under the Abe government, including the issues of history problems, defense policy, and US bases in Okinawa , as well as the relationship with Asian neighbor countries; he described the policy as the ‘Abe Doctrine ’.¹¹ In Japan, Akira Kato, Professor in International Politics at J. F. Oberlin University, critically examined this, arguing that the doctrine seeks to strengthen Japan’s military capability in a way that is more than necessary.¹² However, the term Abe Doctrine has not been commonly used by the Japanese people, and the prime minister himself has not defined his national security strategy in this way. Is the Abe Doctrine really identifiable in Japanese politics and international relations? If this is the case, what are the policy implications and components of the Abe Doctrine as Japan’s new grand strategy? Will it be sustainable and widespread in Japanese politics?

Notably, less attention has been paid to the legal and political implications of the Peace and Security Legislation based on the policy of proactive contribution to peace during the Abe administration for Japan’s foreign and security policy, especially Japan’s Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system, the Japan–USA alliance, and Japan’s policy on international peacekeeping operations in South Sudan . Moreover, exploring the characteristics of Japan’s security strategy under the Abe government and Japan’s policy toward the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is important in order to comprehend the strategic nature of the Abe Doctrine . These case studies can be regarded as filling a research gap for the Abe administration.

In an attempt to answer the main questions and to fill in the research gap noted above, this book aims to investigate the policy implications of Prime Minister Abe’s proactive contribution to peace (proactive pacifism) for Japan’s foreign and security policy (domestic/national), the Japan–USA alliance (bilateral/regional), and Japan’s policy toward international peace operations (international/global). To this end, this book investigates Prime Minister Abe’s policy-making process through the Peace and Security Legislation, which upgraded Japan’s security policy and enabled Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense, which used to be unconstitutional. The main argument of the book is that the domestic, bilateral, and global implications of the prime minister’s proactive contribution to peace concept are policy components of the Abe Doctrine as a new grand strategy.

Accordingly, this book will specifically explore the areas mentioned above: the policy implications of the Peace and Security Legislation for Japan’s BMD system, the Japan–USA alliance system, and Japan’s policy on international peacekeeping operations in South Sudan . Finally, it seeks to reveal the emergence of the Abe Doctrine by anatomizing its policy elements of security strategy as well as the strategic implication of Japan’s TPP policy. The significance of this lies in the fact that whereas earlier research examined the possible existence of the Abe Doctrine by analyzing its ideological elements, such as the prime minister’s attitude toward historical issues, official visits to the Yasukuni Shrine , and his foreign and security policy, this book identifies the domestic/bilateral/global implications of the proactive contribution to peace policy and the Peace and Security Legislation as a concrete example of the Abe Doctrine.¹³

Immediately after his return to power, Prime Minister...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Front Matter
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Proactive Contribution to Peace
• 3. The 15 Cases: Simulations for the Peace and Security Legislation
• 4. The Abe Government and the Right to Collective Self-Defense
• 5. The Domestic Implication: Japan’s Ballistic Missile Defense Policy
• 6. The Bilateral Implication: Development of the Japan–USA Alliance
• 7. The Global Implication: Japan’s Peace Operations in South Sudan
• 8. The Abe Doctrine: Emergence of Japan’s New Grand Strategy
• 9. Conclusion
• Back Matter