ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the second component of Japan’s national security policy in relation to China, that is, political attitudes and their impact upon domestic credibility. Japanese neo-conservatism (JNC) attitudes toward China strongly came to influence Japan’s national security policy. Its political elites have adopted a non-concessional attitude toward China over history issues and the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, which worsened Japan–China security relations. Japan’s China policy was one of the dividing issues in Japan’s postwar conservative politics. Prime Minister Junichro Koizumi heralded Japan’s non-concessional political attitude toward China. He neither belonged to the JNC in an ideological sense, nor implemented its policy, but his continuing visits to the Yasukuni Shrine were criticized by China and escalated political tensions. Shinzo Abe represents the political elites of the JNC and played a leading role in introducing JNC ideas into the mainstream of Japanese politics. Abe’s second premiership was completely different from his first one in his attitude toward China, at least until 2016.
