Introductory description

‘Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow’ (Prime Minister Kishida Fumio 2022)
Japan’s international relations and ‘grand strategy’ are undergoing a fundamental transformation. For most of the post-war era, Japan’s overall grand strategy was encapsulated by the ‘Yoshida Doctrine’ of a minimalist diplomatic and defence posture, dependence on the US in security, and focus on becoming an economic superpower. In the last two decades, though, Japan has shifted its grand strategy onto a new trajectory, often termed the ‘Abe Doctrine’. This revised grand strategy has been spurred on by Japanese perceptions of the rise of China, North Korean adventurism, Russian revanchism, and US relative hegemonic decline and unpredictability, as well as deep-seated domestic political and economic changes in Japan itself. Japan’s Abe Doctrine is now marked by a more assertive diplomatic and military stance, deeper security cooperation with the US and other US allies and partners, and attempts to shore up and lead the ‘rules-based international order’ in the ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’. Japan, in response to the Ukraine War, has forged closer ties with NATO and other European states, seeing its security, as now global in scope, as stated by PM Kishida above.

The principal aims of this module are to help student comprehend the drivers, objectives, means, and impact of Japan as an international actor in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The module introduces the key concept of grand strategy and how to understand its formulation and implementation in Japan’s international context. It examines the historical origins and trajectory of Japan’s grand strategy from the Cold War onwards, and how this strategy has been reforged out of a combination of new regional and global challenges, and the reform of domestic policy-making institutions. Students will learn about Japan’s often under-studied pivotal role in dealing with the rise of China, US influence in the Indo-Pacific, and seeking to create international order in regional and global economic and governance institutions.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1: Introduction and the understanding grand strategy
Week 2: Japan’s grand strategy in historical perspective: from the creation of a modern state, to total defeat in World War II, to the Yoshida Doctrine’ in the Cold War
Week 3: Domestic politics and foreign policy institutions: a more assertive and capable Japan?
Week 4: Japan and the rise of China: to engage or to balance?
Week 5: Japanese security and the Korean Peninsula: nukes, missiles, abductions, territorial disputes, trilateralism
Week 6: Reading Week
Week 7: The US-Japan alliance transformed: from Bush 2.0 to Trump 2.0
Week 8: The ‘Abe Doctrine’: Japan as a ‘tier-one’ power’ and new diplomatic partner
Week 9: Japan as a global military power, Russia and the Ukraine War, and Taiwan
Week 10: Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific: strategy, vision, or what?

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate significant knowledge of Japan’s approach to international relations and grand strategy in the Indo-Pacific.
• Utilise the concept of ‘grand strategy’, and related theories, as means to understand the different ways that Japan pursues its international objectives in the diplomatic, economic and military dimensions.
• Demonstrate in-depth analysis of the drivers that shape Japan’s international strategy, ranging from the legacies of history, strategic culture, the alliance relationship with the US, and the changing domestic policy-making process.
• Critically assess Japan’s capability to pursue its international objectives and the impact on the region.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Research element

The summative essay will necessitate students researching a range of literature from the model and discovering their own materials in addition.

Interdisciplinary

This module, whilst primarily grounded in the field of International Relations, also connects with International Political Economy, Area Studies and Japanese Studies.

International

The module is inherently international with the focus on Japan's international relations and ties with a number of states in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Subject specific skills

The module provides students with opportunities to acquire or develop the following subject specific skills:

1. Analyse the International structural and domestic drivers shaping Japan's strategy towards the Asia-Pacific
2. Apply international relations theories and the concept of grand strategy to the case of Japan.
3. Bridging knowledge of International Relations and more regional-specific Area Studies to appreciate the complexity of Japan's strategy.
4. Acquire deep empirical knowledge on Japan's grand strategy and domestic policy-making, and its relations with a number of countries in the region and related challenges in diplomacy, economic and security, including the US, China, North and South Korea, ASEAN and Russia.

Transferable skills

The module provides students with opportunities to acquire or develop the following transferable skills:

1. Written communication skills
2. Oral communication and presentational skills
3. Problem solving skills
4. Information technology
5. Critical analysis of International Relations literature and Japan's official policy documentation
6. Intercultural competency through studying a 'non-Western' state and region
7. Ability to conduct research and to reference work
8. Time management and meeting of deadlines
9. Collaborative working