Abstract:

Japanese foreign policy and the security policy are both changing drastically. There are a number of reasons for this. The first reason includes the drastic changes of international situations, terrorism, the spread of infections, climate change, the rise of China, the existence of North Korea and so on. The second reason involves the long–term economic recession and the arrival of the aging society with fewer children. The third reason is caused by the loss of the Japanese people’s self-confidence and the spread of nationalism in the Japanese society.

This year, the Japanese Government decided upon a new law on the right of collective self-defence. It allows the Japanese Self-Defence Forces to expand its scope of activities overseas. Katsuyuki Yakushiji will explain about the outline and the aim of this new law.

At the same time, recognition of the history on the period before the WWII is a serious issue with the neighboring countries. These past few years, the Japanese Prime Minister could not meet with the South Korean President and the Chinese President, which is quite an unusual situation. Such bad relations and the rise of international tensions will make the regional order unstable. Katsuyuki Yakushiji will explain the details of these problems.

Finally, Katsuyuki Yakushiji will mention the future of Japan – Japan-US alliance, the future of Japan and North East Asia from the viewpoints of security policy, economy and demography.

About the Speaker:

Professor Katsuyuki Yakushiji has previously served as Editorial Writer of the Asahi Shimbun and Chief Editor of the monthly magazine RONZA, Chief Editor of Political News Department. He graduated from Tokyo University and joined the Asahi Shimbun in 1979 and has held various positions. In 2002 he became a visiting fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington, D.C and was Visiting Professor of Kyoto University since 2006, and Visiting Professor of Gakushuin University since 2009.In 2011 he retired the Asahi Shimbun and assumed his current position. He has published several books and articles on the history of various high-ranking Japanese politicians include: Gaimu-syo(Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2003),”Oral History of the 1990s” series: Ozawa Ichiro, Miyazawa Kiichi, Kan Naoto, Mori Yoshiro(2006-2008),Oral History of Murayama Tomiich(2012),Testimony- Inner Politics of the Democratic Party(2012).

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Organised by IDSS, Regional Security Architecture Programme and RSIS Events Unit.