The role of informal political actors in Japanese security policymaking
The case of Kitaoka Shin’ichi
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12347992 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Misato Matsuoka (0000-0003-2864-5022, Teikyo University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 74 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 670-686 |
| Publication date | 2020-06-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Australian Journal Of International Affairs (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1035-7718 • E-ISSN: 1465-332X |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10357718.2020.1781786 |
| OpenAlex | W3038090879 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 31 |
Japan’s security policymaking has undergone change since 2012 amidst institutional reforms under the second Abe Shinzō administration. This article explores the under-appreciated role of informal political actors—especially heavyweight academics—in shaping Japanese security policymaking under the second Abe administration. Although these actors have always been present, this article argues that they have become more visible and influential, especially under the second Abe administration by supporting Japan’s Realpolitik stance. Differentiating from ‘embedded scholars’ (goyō gakusha), it scrutinises whether the activities of academics have become more relevant as part of a more centralised policymaking process. Considering the existing literature on Japan’s security policymaking and Kantei diplomacy, this article examines the extent to which informal political actors have exerted influence on Japan’s security policymaking, with explicit comparison with earlier governments. It particularly focuses on the role of Kitaoka Shin’ichi, a Japanese academic who has played the central role in shaping Japan’s security policymaking in the post-Cold War period. In so doing, this article explores the ways in which Abe’s Kantei-led political decision-making style has empowered informal political actors to contribute to strategic thinking regarding Japanese foreign and security policy
Administration (probate law · Diplomacy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Realpolitik · Sociology · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Japanese History and Culture · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Public Administration
Securing Japan
Japan and the War on Terror
Japan’s Foreign and Security Policy Under the ‘Abe Doctrine’
Koizumi and Japanese Politics
Japan’s Foreign Policy Making
The Abe Administration and the Rise of the Prime Ministerial Executive
Japan’s Security Renaissance
International Relations studies and theories in Japan
Changing civil–military relations in Japan
The trajectory of ODA’s strategic use and reforms – from Nakasone Yasuhiro to Abe Shinzō
Explaining Japan’s post-Cold War security policy trajectory
Threat perception, government centralization, and political instrumentality in Abe Shinzo’s Japan
Diplomatic and security practice under Abe Shinzō
Japan’s new arms export policies
Japan and the United States
Japan's Defense Policy
The Anatomy of Japan's Shifting Security Orientation
Japan's Search for Strategy
A Blueprint for a Strong Japan? Abe Shinzō and Japan’s Evolving Security System
Practical Reflexivity and Political Science
The Japanese Diet and defence policy-making
The Security Debate in Japan
The Politics of Regional Policy in Japan
Japan's Kissinger? Yachi Shōtarō
Knowledge Regimes in Post-Developmental States
The Expanding Role of Sociology at Japan National Defense Academy
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,5 |
| Citation span | 2020 - 2023 (4) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |