Description
One of the most underappreciated developments in the context of the US-China rivalry has been Japan’s security policy expansion. As it seeks to maintain peace and prevent conflict, Japan’s security policy has transformed from a passive and minimalist version where the focus was on economics (based on the Yoshida Doctrine) to one where it adopts a policy of "proactive contribution to peace". The contribution is no longer confined to economic and political means, but also through the use of its military and various other means to achieve traditional and non-traditional security objectives. At the same time, the Japanese government has also introduced its own vision of regional order – known as the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) - to ensure continued peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific based on a rules-based order. This panel focuses on Japan’s contribution to peace and to the prevention of conflicts in the Indo-Pacific order amid the worsening US-China rivalry. It not only examines the resilience of the foundation of its peace-based Yoshida Doctrine, but also various policies and initiatives that may help Japan become a more proactive contributor to peace and global security.
