Japan's Security Policies during OEF and OIF: Incremental Reactions Meet Great Expectations (Asia-Pacific Security Studies. Volume 2, Number 6, August 2003)
Abstract
Japan's contributions to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) against Afghanistan in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2003 have been built on responses to U.S. expectations and requests, thus establishing new accomplishments in the gradual expansion of Japan's security roles. In the end, in the context of the U.S.-Japan alliance, Japan has come closer than in the past to meeting its ally's expectations. The net importance of Japan's responses to OEF and OIF is that they reflect incremental progress toward an enhanced Japanese security role and serve as foundation blocks for future legislation for overseas dispatches of the Self-Defense Force (SDF). Three layers of decision making exist in Japan's responses to OEF and OIF: (1) Diet, (2) prime minister and cabinet, and (3) prime minister and Defense Agency director general. Japan's response to OEF illustrates the centralized decision making of the Defense Agency director general and the prime minister who used the Implementation Guideline under the Anti-Terror Special Measures Law to implement significant changes in SDF activities. Controversies regarding deployment of the Aegis destroyers and the less publicized dispatch of a landing ship tank to transport a Thai battalion during OEF illustrate a consistent drive by the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to set a precedent by overseas deployments. Some Japanese politicians remain skeptical of the central role played by the Defense Agency director general and the prime minister in response to OEF. In the short term, they prefer close cabinet-party consultations prior to decisions. In the long term, they prefer permanent legislation to govern SDF dispatch with stricter Diet control. Japan's security cooperation is contingent upon the disposition of the prevailing political leadership. Inflated expectations based on Prime Minister Koizumi's recent accomplishments will not likely be fulfilled under a different leadership.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA494562
Entities
People
- Yoichiro Sato
Organizations
- Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies