INTERNATIONAL SECURITY IN POST-COLD WAR ERA : A JAPANESE PERSPECTIVE

This article explores the Japanese perspective on international security in the immediate post-Cold War era. It analyzes how the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the bipolar strategic environment forced Japan to fundamentally reassess its security policy and its role in the world. The study examines the key debates within Japan concerning the future of the US-Japan security alliance, the interpretation of its "peace constitution" (Article 9), and the question of participating in UN peacekeeping operations. The research argues that Japan was cautiously moving away from its passive, "checkbook diplomacy" of the Cold War towards a more proactive and multifaceted approach to international security. The paper concludes by assessing the challenges and opportunities for Japan to define a new security role for itself as a global economic power in a more uncertain world.

The end of the Cold War presented Japan with both a profound opportunity and a significant challenge to redefine its role in international security. This paper provides an analysis of the Japanese perspective during this pivotal transition. The study begins by outlining Japan's unique Cold War security posture, which was characterized by a minimalist defense policy under the US security umbrella and a constitutional prohibition on the use of force. The core of the article is an examination of how the new international environment compelled a rethinking of this long-standing policy. It delves into the internal Japanese debate about "international contribution," analyzing the growing consensus that Japan, as an economic superpower, could no longer remain a passive bystander in global security matters. The paper focuses on the landmark debate and subsequent legislation that allowed Japan's Self-Defense Forces to participate, for the first time, in UN peacekeeping operations. It also analyzes the discussions about the future of the US-Japan alliance, exploring how both sides sought to adapt the alliance to address new regional security challenges, such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula. The findings suggest that Japan was embarking on a gradual but significant evolution of its security identity, moving cautiously towards becoming a more "normal" international actor while still operating within the strong normative constraints of its post-war constitution.