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| 1 |
ID:
107606
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| Publication |
2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The paradigmatic case in which an almost permanent impasse exists in coming to terms with a difficult war past and 'normalizing' its international relations is that of Japan. Although successive Japanese governments have apologized over the last few decades, these have been countered by periodic episodes within Japan revolving largely around history textbooks, the remembrance of war dead and the quest by nationalists to restore national pride in the past. Regional relations were especially strained during the premiership of Koizumi Juni'chirô and his immediate successor, Abe Shinzô. They improved under Fukuda Yasuo, a moderate on war memory issues, and remained steady under Asô Tarô. Japan's latest prime minister, Hatoyama Yukio, appears determined to address Japan's war past more openly and critically than previous LDP figures, no doubt with an eye to improving Japan's relations with its Asian neighbours. But whatever line he pursues, contestation over war memories will remain an issue. They are driven by deep divisions within Japan at the same time that political leaders seek a more prominent identity for Japan as a 'normal' actor in international affairs. This article analyses key aspects of the politics of Japan's war memories, using insights from collective memory studies and constructivist IR theory. We suggest that the quest for 'normality' has generated a set of tensions and contradictions over the issue of war memories, both domestically and internationally, for which there is no resolution in sight.
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| 2 |
ID:
189316
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| Summary/Abstract |
The Japanese government led by Shinzo Abe passed the Security Bills in 2015. The passage of these bills drastically changed Japan’s passive stance in the security arena. Utilizing the context surrounding the Security Bills in Japan, the present research examines Japanese citizens’ attitudes and behavior toward security issues. In addressing this matter, this study focuses on the roles of war memories in Japanese society. Recognizing that war memories constitute an essential element of Japanese society in the post-World War II era, I present two hypotheses. First, one can expect that those who are deeply immersed in war memories tend to be opposed to the Security Bills. Second, it is possible to hypothesize that those who are extensively exposed to war memories tend to discuss security issues more actively. To test these hypotheses, I conduct an original survey in Japan that is specifically tailored for this study. A statistical analysis relying on the survey data verifies the second hypothesis although it fails to support the first one. By dissecting the processes through which war memories shape Japanese citizens’ attitudes and behavior in the security arena, this study significantly advances our understanding of Japan’s security culture. Findings from the statistical analysis generate critical implications that are essential in understanding the current discourse over security issues in Japan.
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