Japan's search for ontological security in the post-cold war period : the reconfiguration of trusting relationships in East Asia

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2013
Gönen, Hakan
This dissertation aims at exploring and analysing the effects of Japan’s trust-based relations in the region of East Asia in the post-Cold War period within the framework of its anti-militaristic state identity and outlook. The main research question is based on how the Japanese policy makers constructed the meaning of the post-Cold War period, opening the ways and ideas to solidify the anti-militaristic state identity and posture. In this sense, Japan provides a significant case study for examining ontological security. The main argument of dissertation is based on building up Japan’s ontological security structure in the regional context. Since the end of the Second World War, Japan has pursued an anti-militaristic state identity and posture. This attitude has been the guiding principle of Tokyo’s foreign and security policy. In this dissertation, for the continuance of anti-militaristic identity successfully in the post-Cold War period, Japanese policy decision-makers have both configured and further sustained the country’s trust-based relations with neighbouring countries in the region. This dissertation was analysed under the five main headings except the introduction chapter: (1) The historical background telling the story of anti-militaristic identity and posture of Japan, (2) Japan’s emerging human security agenda in the Post-Cold War period, (3) Japan’s cooperative initiatives at the regional level by focusing in particular on APEC and ARF. (4) Japan’s relations with the significant others for its identity preservation. (5) The conclusions.

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Citation Formats
H. Gönen, “Japan’s search for ontological security in the post-cold war period : the reconfiguration of trusting relationships in East Asia ,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2013.