ABSTRACT

The conventional wisdom about Japan is that it is an inert and passive international security actor. Yet this perception is based on Japan's past behaviour which was determined by relatively fixed political structures that are being rapidly overtaken by events. Today, virtually all of Japan's postwar security policy principles have been or are on the verge of being compromised. The process of change is being driven by new international and domestic structures. Although the process will not always be smooth, the direction is not in doubt, only its pace, scope, and limits.