Japan's Security Policy and the ASEAN Regional Forum

Based on primary resources, including documents and extensive interviews with Japanese policy makers, this book provides a comprehensive and detailed empirical analysis of Japan’s involvement in Asia-Pacific security multilateralism after the end of the Cold War with special reference to the ARF. Giving an in-depth account of new developments in Japan’s post-Cold War security policy, Yuzawa also examines:

Japan’s initial motivations, expectations and objectives for promoting regional security multilateralism
Japan’s diplomacy for achieving these objectives and experiences in the ARF since its formation
the effectiveness and limitations of the ARF with regards national and Asia-Pacific security
the effects of Japan’s experiences in the ARF on its initial conception of regional securty multilateralism and the implications of this for the direction of its overall security policy
problems and difficulties that arose as a result of Japan’s post-Cold War security policy of simultaneously pursuing two different security approaches – namely the strengthening of regional security institutions and the Japan-US alliance.

This book will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of Japanese security studies, as well as international relations, Asian politics and international organizations.

Author Biography

Takeshi Yuzawa is Research Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs. His research interests include Asia-Pacific security, Japan’s foreign and security policy, International Relations Theory.