Normalizing Japan: Politics, Identity, and the Evolution of Security Practice (Studies in Asian Security) [Hardcover]

Andrew Oros (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 080470029X | ISBN-13: 978-0804700290 | Publication Date: April 23, 2008

Normalizing Japan seeks to answer the question of what future direction Japan's military policies are likely to take, by considering how policy has evolved since World War II, and what factors shaped this evolution. It argues that Japanese security policy has not changed as much in recent years as many believe, and that future change also will be highly constrained by Japan's long-standing "security identity," the central principle guiding Japanese policy over the past half-century. Oros' analysis is based on detailed exploration of three cases of policy evolution—restrictions on arms exports, the military use of outer space, and cooperation with the United States on missile defense—which shed light on other cases of policy change, such as Japan's deployment of its military to Iraq and elsewhere and its recent creation of a Ministry of Defense. More broadly, the book refines how "ideational" factors interact with domestic politics and international changes to create policy change.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Normalizing Japan definitely moves the scholarly debate forward and provides useful analytical tools for anyone trying to disentangle rhetoric from reality in Japanese security policy."—Michael J. Green, Journal of Japanese Studies

"It is clear that a tremendous amount of hard work and research went into the creation of this book .... Credit must be given to Oros for writing a book that is completely borderless with respect to sources, whether text or interviews; he represents a new breed of Japan specialists who operate with equal facility in Japan and in their own countries .... This book should be required reading for current and aspiring Japan specialist in the arena of politics and security."—Tosh Minohara, Journal of Asian Studies

"A model of academic research Normalizing Japan is enhanced with seven major appendices, extensive notes, a 29-page bibliography, and a comprehensive index, making it an invaluable and strongly recommended addition to academic library Contemporary International Studies reference collection in general, and Japanese Governmental Studies reading lists in particular."—The Midwest Book Review.

"This thoughtful, carefully argued study challenges the many Chicken Littles who warn that Japan is ready to break free of its post-war constraints." —Leonard Schoppa, University of Virginia

"Andrew Oros has written an important book on one of the seminal questions in East Asian affairs. The character and impact of Japan's unique national security identity of antimilitarism--and its evolution today in a region where 'realist' forces are reasserting themselves is a challenging scholarly issue that also has real world significance. Normalizing Japan marshals impressive evidence to make careful and thoughtful arguments about the role of identity and history in Japanese national security decision making. The book is a welcome addition to a growing debate on the logic and pathways of Japan's postwar identity and foreign policy."—G. John Ikenberry, Princeton University

About the Author

Andrew Oros is an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Washington College. He is the Editor, with Yuki Tatsumi, of Japan's New Defense Establishment: Institutions, Capabilities, and Implications (Stimson Center, 2007).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press (April 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080470029X
• ISBN-13: 978-0804700290
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #495,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A model of academic research, April 14, 2010

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Normalizing Japan: Politics, Identity, and the Evolution of Security Practice (Studies in Asian Security) (Paperback)

Their defeat at the hands of allied forces at the end of World War II brought dramatic changes in the politics and culture of Japan. One of the biggest changes was the abandonment of militarism as a driving social philosophy and a national security that was to be based upon cooperation with the American missile defense strategies of the Cold War era. The newest addition to the Stanford University Press 'Studies in Asian Security' series, "Normalizing Japan: Politics, Identity, and the Evolution of Security Practice" by Andrew L. Oros (Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland) is a 304-page study that focuses upon the contemporary misgivings that Japan might be considering further national defense policy changes such as those already established such as their recent establishment of a Ministry of Defense and deployment of Japanese military elements to Iraq. A model of academic research, "Normalizing Japan" is enhanced with seven major appendices, extensive notes, a 29-page bibliography, and a comprehensive index, making it an invaluable and strongly recommended addition to academic library Contemporary International Studies reference collections in general, and Japanese Governmental Studies reading lists in particular.