ABSTRACT
The previous chapter has illustrated the inherent tensions between the domestic and international norms which the Japanese state and its people face at the beginning of the twenty-first century. This final chapter assesses the ways in which globalization is likely to shape how those tensions are resolved, and will determine whether and how Japan as a foreign policy actor is equipped to stand up to the forces it unleashes. Chapter 2 offered a definition of globalization and highlighted the divergent views on its meaning. This chapter examines how globalization imposes constraints and at the same time offers opportunities for the Japanese state and its people at the cusp of the twenty-first century.
