SEAS presentations - summary

RIPS research associates, Professor Keiichi Hatakeyama (Gakushuin Women's College) and Professor Akio Watanabe (Aoyama Gakuin University) gave lectures regarding Japan's response to America's recent foreign policy to the participants of the Symposium on East Asia Security (SEAS) at the Tokyo American Center on April 10, 2003. Prof. Hatakeyama reported on “The War against Iraq and the Response of Japan”, while Prof. Watanabe spoke on “Japan and ‘the Axis of Evil’”.

The War against Iraq and the Response of Japan
Professor Keiichi Hatakeyama (Gakushuin Women's College)
Prof. Hatakeyama outlined the significant shift in the international community's recognition of threat from a specific state or ideology to new threats and the need for a fundamental shift from the conventional approach toward security strategies to a response against the new forms and methods of attacks by these new threat possibilities. He then stated his contention regarding the powerlessness of deterrence and coercive strategy, stating that these approaches will not be applicable to “international terrorists” or “rogue nations.” In order to address these new threats, Hatakeyama considers that the United States is aiming for a new strategic focus on missile defense, anti-terrorism networks and reinforced relationships with allies. Accordingly, the Japan-US allied relationship will have increased importance in regional security and the Japanese Government places utmost importance on the continuation of this alliance. However, this new strategy also poses many questions as to the future of US security policy and the influence it will have over the course of Japan's future international role and identity.

Japan and ‘the Axis of Evil’
Professor Akio Watanabe (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Professor Watanabe began his presentation by explaining his perception of a “geo-strategic” difference between Japan and the United States, referring Bush's “peculiar” declaration of the axis of evil. He contrasted Japan's reaction to the Gulf War of 1991 and Iraq War of 2003 and explained the reasons for and the legal basis of Japan's new position. He discussed the impact of the consequent recent discourse in Japan about self defense and the use of force, clarifying Japan's stance on individual self defense and collective self defense. Prof. Watanabe then went further to consider scenarios such as Japan's participation in the current war in Iraq and the possibility of US troops stationed in Japan engaging in war on the Korean Peninsular, deliberating on what actions can be considered legal under the current interpretation and the implications for the US-Japan security alliance. A need to revisit the vague notion of “areas surrounding Japan” was emphasized.

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