NBR Analysis vol. 5, no. 4
Recalculating Autonomy
Japan's Choices in the New World Order
This essay explores the political, economic, and foreign policy implications of Japan’s pursuit of autonomy as it enters a new era in its relationship with the rest of the world, richer and stronger than ever.
Since the Meiji Period, Japanese foreign policy has been driven by the overriding goal of reducing uncertainty in a hostile world. For prewar Japan, this involved maximizing diplomatic and economic autonomy within the international system on the one hand, and enhancing domestic industrial and technological capabilities on the other. After 1945 Japan gave up its autonomous role in international affairs and allowed the United States to shape its strategic environment. But the Japanese continued to pursue autonomy within an insulated economy and polity. Although the emphasis on autonomy is hardly unique to Japan, Japan has been extremely successful at reducing or avoiding the costs of interdependence, and the pursuit of autonomy continues to inform its policy choices. In this essay we will explore the political, economic, and foreign policy implications of Japan’s pursuit of autonomy as it enters a new era in its relationship with the rest of the world, richer and stronger than ever.