JURNAL NATAPRAJA Kajian Ilmu Administrasi Negara
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JURNAL NATAPRAJA Kajian Ilmu Administrasi Negara Vol. 6, No. 2, 2018 https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/natapraja pp. 115-128 ABE'S FOREIGN POLICY Hideaki Shirakata College of Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS), Thammasat University, Thailand [email protected] Abstrak Tulisan ini berusaha menjelaskan mengenai Perdana Menteri Jepang, Shinzo Abe, dalam isu diplomasi keamanan sebagai langkah responsif terhadap perubahan keamanan di sekitar Jepang. Data dalam tulisan ini berasal dari sumber sekunder, terutama jurnal, laporan resmi dan buku. Temuan dari sumber-sumber tersebut menunjukkan bahwa karena menghadapi ancaman eksternal, langkah berani dibuat untuk mengatasi ancaman keamanan meskipun ada protes besar. Selain itu, di bawah tema diplomasi bernama "diplomasi perdamaian proaktif", tampaknya Abe bertujuan untuk membentuk aliansi keamanan yang dipimpin Jepang di wilayah tersebut. Jepang dalam konteks Asia, sebagai poros aliansi keamanan Jepang-AS. Terdapat hambatan konstitusional, khususnya pasal 9 yang bersangkutan mengenai kebijakan luar negeri yang independen akan dibatasi. Kata Kunci: Kebijakan Luar Negeri, Shinzo Abe, dan Jepang Abstract The essay seeks to examine the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe’s security diplomacy in responsive to changes in the security environment surrounding Japan. The data referred in the essay is from the secondary sources, mainly academic journals and books. The finding showed that due to external threat, a bold move was made to pass the security bills despite a major protest. Moreover, under his theme of diplomacy named “proactive peace diplomacy”, it appears that he aims to form a Japan-led-security alliance in the region. In spite of this, Japan is embedded in the Asia context on the axis of the Japan-US security alliance. As long as the constitutional constraints, especially the article 9 clause are concerned, the pursuit of independent foreign policy would be limited. Keywords: Foreign Policy, Shinzo Abe, and Japan Diterima 26 Agustus 2018; Diterima dengan revisi 4 September 2018; Dipublikasikan 1 Desember 2018 2406-9515 (p) / 2528-441X (e) © 2018 Hideaki Shirakata. Dipublikasikan oleh JIAN FIS UNY NATAPRAJA Vol. 6 No. 2, Desember 2018 INTRODUCTION Japanese territory is as frequent as ever and The incumbent Japanese Prime this is posing a challenge to Japan. Minister (PM), Shinzo Abe, regained the Moreover, in the absence of strong US power after the landslide victory over the leadership in the Asia Pacific, despite election in late 2012. It has not been seen in commitment to rebalancing to Asia by the the Japanese politics that the leader of President Obama and indifference of the Japan is proactively visiting countries incumbent Trump’s policy, the power around the world as frequently as him to imbalance has placed Japan in a difficult strengthen economic cooperation, to deepen situation. the political engagement, and promote This essay aims to examine the cultural exchanges. The negative political evolving Prime Minister Abe’s security image in the Japanese premiership due to diplomacy responsive to changes in the yearly routine of changes in the leadership security environment surrounding Japan: since 2006, has transformed into a stable, The decline of the US presence in Asia and strong and active leadership. It has been China’s rise. These factors are selected observed that the dramatic shift in the because Japan tends to gear up the engine security environment surrounding Japan when Tokyo encounters threats from due to the China’s economic and military external powers. The diplomacy of rise, unstable North Korea’s regime, and the proactive contribution to peace originates decline in American presence in the Asia from these external factors and the pursuit Pacific Region is striking nowadays. It is of the policy has been initiated by the leader true that in terms of economic power Japan of Japan to mitigate the situation. This has played crucial roles in the Asia Pacific essay is organized as follows: In the first in provision of aid, humanitarian assistance, section, it gives explanation of external technical support and its influence has been factors of China’s growing influence and substantial; however, in the wake of the the US ambiguity in Asia. In the first part China’s incredible economic progress as of second section, the changes in the well as development of military domestic politics, policies, and measures capabilities, the power balance in the region will be addressed while in the second part, can be strikingly observed, which uncertain Abe’s proactive diplomacy is examined. outcomes could be expected. The intrusion Based on the analysis from both parts, the by the Chinese navy or air force into the conclusion will be derived. 116 Hideaki Shirakata - Abe's Foreign Policy . METHOD 1) US’s presence in Asia The research methodology of this The President Obama’s initial Asian paper involves the use of primary and policy had given China opportunities to secondary sources. The primary sources are leverage over the region and the presence of obtained from Cabinet Office of Japan, the US in the region had dwindled. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Washington’s security role in Asia became Defence. The secondary sources are derived ambiguous because the economic interest from existing literatures, journals, books, outweighed security interest. Obama (2009) and online news articles. Based on these stated at the U.S/China strategic and sources, the essay discusses Prime Minister economic dialogue that the US and China Abe’s shift in the security policies and share mutual interests wherein emphasis diplomacy. was on the economic cooperation, nuclear . weapon problems, and transnational threats, RESULT AND DISCUSSION which are advanced by cooperation. In his External Threat to Japan early tenure, it was clear that his reluctance Japan is a country whose domestic to express negative view on Chinese such politics has been fluctuated from external as human right violation, suppression of shock. The modern Japan started from the ethnic minorities, and political opponent response to the arrival of black ship by was evident. It seems that the US foreign Thomas Perry in 1853. Due to the policy towards China was emphasized on economic sanctions on natural resources, the economic cooperation to gain the access the government decided to expand to the Chinese market. It can be analysed movement towards Southeast Asia and that soft China policy stemmed from moved onto the Pacific War. The current economic opportunity resulted in the shift in the policy could be also explained China’s expansionism behaviour in Asia. from the external shocks such as relative For example, one of the Chinese military decline of the US presence in the Asia and officer offered to a top US Admiral to halve Chinese economic and military strengthen. the Pacific Ocean between America and These two factors will be discussed in this China (Pubby, 2009). The China’s aim is to section. exclude American’s influence in this Asia Pacific so that Beijing dominates the region economically and militarily. Gordon (2012) 117 NATAPRAJA Vol. 6 No. 2, Desember 2018 reported that as China’s interest is US counterpart. Also, his “Yuai” diplomacy increasing, the degree of US influence is (fraternity diplomacy) that is based on the declining. US’s influence was substantial in Constructivist’s view of values, norms, and the past, but it is not the case in the current cultures has hints that the US is not as period. Moreover, the announcement by the important partner as used to be because his Obama (2013) “we should not be the vison to establish the East Asian world's policeman” has also significant Community is exclusion of the United implication to China although this speech States. DPJ’s policy of exclusion of the US aimed at the Syrian crisis on the issue of from regional community, indecision over military intervention. Towards end of his relocation of the military based, and less tenure, the President Obama has committed dependence on the US had led to the to Asia as “pivot to Asia”; however, it uncertainty in the region (Easley, 2017). It appears that his action was rather late. can be said that the decline of the US During his appeasement period, China’s presence in the Asia is due to the Obama’s militarization of islands and artificial isles unwillingness to commit to this region and in the South China Sea (SCS) are surging Japan’s domestic political fiasco. Although and tensions are raising without the US Obama modified the its policy later to military presence. These two statements, counterbalance the China’s expansionism, which Obama announced, have significant Beijing has gradually made a progress in implication for China and countries the islands in the SCS. PM Abe’s concern. commitment to strengthen the bilateral Furthermore, the Japan’s political relationship with America is attributed to turmoil during Democratic Party of Japan the fact that weakened security ties between (DPJ) is also a cause of decline of the US Tokyo and the Washington under DPJ’s presence. Although the strong Japan and rule, which gave leeway to China to US security alliance contributed to the develop strategies and to expand influence stability and security in this region, in Asia. politicians from DPJ did not comprehend 2) China’s rise how important this alliance is. The Prime Understanding China’s recent Minister Hatoyama’s fragile leadership and transformation as a second largest economy ambiguity over relocation of US military