Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and the ‘Progressive Pacifism’ of Japan

Abstract

Japan’s security policy seems to be changing in a fundamental way in the last few years. Besides the obvious changes in the global and regional security environment of the island nation, we also find distinctive paradigm shifts within Japan itself. The change in the Japanese public position towards diplomatic and security policy means such policies gain gradually more influence on the elections. Furthermore, the political system of Japan has undergone slow but steady change since the late nineties. Finally, the personality of the current Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe seems to present a distinctive force for change in itself. To understand the possible future courses of this newly developed progessive pacifism, I will asses the relevant political forces and their dispositions towards the questions of security and diplomacy.