From a decentering to recentering imperative: Japan's approach to Asian security multilateralism

ABSTRACT

Why has Japan attempted to promote Asian security multilateralism for over two decades despite its open acknowledgment of the vital centrality of the US–Japan alliance in its overall foreign and security policy? Why has Japan's pursuit of regional security multilateralism sometimes swayed between an inclusive ‘Asia-Pacific’ (with the US) and an exclusive ‘East Asian’ format (without the US)? This article examines the nature of Japan's approach to Asian security multilateralism through a new analytical model based on the decentering/recentering framework and major theoretical assumptions deriving from neoclassical realism. It unpacks the process by which Japanese policy-makers have come to recognize Asian security multilateralism as a means of advancing perceived political and security interests, arising from international pressures and opportunities. The analysis is divided into three phases; (1) Japan's leading role in the formation of the ASEAN Regional Forum (1991–1994), (2) Japan's initiatives for the establishment of the ASEAN Plus Three and the East Asian Summit (1997–2005), and (3) Japan's renewed focus on the EAS with US membership (2010-onwards). The article reveals the changing dynamics of the ideas and motivations behind Japan's initiatives for Asian security multilateralism.

KEYWORDS:

• Japan
• multilateralism
• neoclassical realism
• East Asia
• security
• alliance

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Paul Midford for organizing this special issue and his useful comments on an earlier draft of this article. I am also very grateful to Yoneyuki Sugita for hosting a series of international workshops held at Osaka University in February 2016 and January 2017 and to the workshop participants for their helpful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. This article defines the promotion of security multilateralism as an undertaking to promote multilateral security cooperation among states through the formation of an international institution/arrangement or an existing international institution/arrangement.

2. Exceptions are Terada 2013; Tan 2016.

Additional information

Funding

This paper has been supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science [grant number 2638217] and Osaka University.

Notes on contributors

Takeshi Yuzawa

Takeshi Yuzawa is Professor of International Relations in the Department of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies (GIS) at Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan. He received his PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His current research interests include the prospects of international rule-making and regional order in East Asia. He is the author of Japan's security policy and the ASEAN Regional Forum: The search for multilateral security in the Asia-Pacific (Routledge). He has also published articles in peer-reviewed journals as well as numerous book chapters in edited volumes.