The Evolution of Japan’s Security Policy

Abstract

Security after the end of the Cold War not only remains as the most vital issue for states, but it has also become a complex phenomenon with the re-emergence of lowintensity and non-specific threats. Many of these threats cannot be adequately handled by means of military power alone and instead require solutions involving the exercise of economic power. These trends suggest that a fresh and innovative approach is required to address the issue of security after the end of the Cold War. Changes in the international security environment in post-Cold War period have also brought new developments to the security situation in East Asia. These changes imply an expanding international peace keeping role for a country like Japan, which is the second largest economy of the world and now stands as a regional and global economic superpower. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the different phases of the development of Japan’s security policy. A comparative study of Japanese security policy during and after the end of the Cold War will help understand the changes in security policy. The paper also aims to identify the factors which have made the security policy change inevitable.