by Christopher W . Hughes (Author)
Is Japan on a path towards assuming a greater military role internationally, or has the recent military normalisation ground to a halt since the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi? In this book, Christopher W. Hughes assesses developments in defence expenditure, civil-military relations, domestic and international military-industrial complexes, Japan's procurement of regional and global power-projection capabilities, the expansion of US-Japan cooperation, and attitudes towards nuclear weapons, constitutional revision and the use of military force. In all of these areas, dynamic and long-term changes outweigh Japan's short-term political logjam over security policy. Hughes argues that many post-war constraints on Japan's military role are still eroding, and that Tokyo is moving towards a more assertive military role and strengthened US-Japan cooperation. Japan's remilitarisation will boost its international security role and the dominance of the US-Japan alliance in regional and global security affairs, but will need to be carefully managed if it is not to become a source of destabilising tensions.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 188
Edition: 1
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 17 Apr 2009
ISBN 10: 0415556929
ISBN 13: 9780415556927
'This book is a rare find among recent publications, in that it comprehensively deals with the controversial topic of Japan's remilitarization [...] It contains insightful points throughout, based on careful conceptualization and rich research work.' - Pacific Affairs, Volume 84, No. 1 - March 2011
Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. - S. C. Hart, CHOICE (February 2010)