Author: Ryo Sahashi, Kanagawa University and GMF

There is a strong tendency in Washington and other foreign capitals to believe that the Japanese politicians you know and that are practised in telling you what you want to hear are good, and that unfamiliar names are a bad sign for smooth international relations.

The foreign media in particular seems to dislike Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s ‘humble attitude’ (describing himself as a ‘loach fish’ during his campaign for the leadership) and portray him as someone without vision and leadership. Read more…

Author: Ryo Sahashi, Kanagawa University

The US–Japan Security Consultative Committee joint statement released on 21 June 2011 in Washington was titled ‘Toward a Deeper and Broader US–Japan Alliance: Building on 50 Years of Partnership’. It lists US–Japan security objectives for future joint defence cooperation. This statement successfully paves the way for the US–Japan leaders’ summit meeting later this year.

There are two central pillars contained within the 24 objectives listed. Read more…

Author: Ryo Sahashi, Kanagawa University

From territorial disputes to non-traditional security concerns, 2010 will be remembered as the pivotal year for East Asian security.

The sinking of the Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeongdo reminded us of the deeply-rooted risks lying in the Peninsula. But, additionally, it has created momentum for bilateral and trilateral cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the US. Read more…

Author: Ryo Sahashi, Kanagawa University

Japanese politics has been all mixed up after the change of ruling party last September. With an emphasis on regional community building and the December 2009 visit of Chief Cabinet Secretary Ozawa, to Beijing, some have speculated that Japan is restructuring its foreign policy radically by retreating gradually from the alliance with the US.

This is far from the truth. Foreign policy under former Prime Minister Hatoyama has actually been a nuanced continuation of past policies. The detail of his policy stance is best characterised as ‘dual hedging.’

Specifically, debates in the Diet and associated policy proposals are centered around economic partnerships within Asia. Read more…

Author: Ryo Sahashi, University of Tokyo

In the first hundred days under the new administration of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and its coalition partners, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and People’s New Party (PNP), criticism of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s foreign policy stance by domestic and American political commentators has continued to mount. The Hatoyama government’s approval rating among Japanese voters has also dropped significantly, though past administrations have also commonly experienced severe declines in popularity within their first three months.

The criticism seems to have reinforced a public impression of Hatoyama’s lack of leadership and strategic vision. Read more…

Author: Ryo Sahashi

On August 26, election fever had hit Japan, and an op-ed signed by Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Yukio Hatoyama appeared in the International Herald Tribune (IHT) Asian edition and the New York Times website. The piece elicited anxiety and criticism from some Japan watchers, especially in policymaking and media circles in Washington.

If we carefully read this piece, and the original Japanese version in Voice plus, we can see the ideas are modest compared with earlier DPJ defense policy positions. DPJ positions on suspending the oil refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, and reviewing the 2006 road map on realigning U.S. forces in Japan, are not mentioned either. Why, then, did this piece cause so much angst?

Read more…

Author: Ryo Sahashi, The University of Tokyo

The ongoing global financial crisis has forced us to reconsider the way to achieve peace and stability in East Asia.

We cannot remain blindly optimistic about economic growth and the future of democratisation in Asia. The region still has potential for growth, but it is likely to be slower. Moreover, many governments have not met adequate governance, accountability, and rule of law standards.

The financial crisis of the 1990s surely enhanced regionalism in East Asia, but how could we envision a brighter future for this region? What kind of economic and security architecture is necessary?

Read more…