Abstract
Fifteen years ago, Japan appeared to be an emerging new center of regional and global power. Although constrained from exercising military force by its constitution, various aspects of Japan’s economic strength positioned the country to play a major role in important regional and global affairs. Today, that opportunity appears to remain bypassed. The notion that economic strength conveyed an ability to influence international affairs was not misguided; rather, the Japanese government retreated from the prospect. Despite new, unwelcome economic constraints that emerged as the Japanese economy sputtered in the 1990s, Japan remains the world’s second-largest economic power. It nevertheless seems to lag behind comparable European nations considerably as a world power.
Although Japan has not contributed much to reshaping the global agenda, at least it has exercised an ability to modify or manipulate its external environment to advance its own national interests. It has not changed or even significantly influenced world institutions and systems, yet has successfully maintained access to foreign raw material sources, kept foreign markets open to Japanese goods as well as investment, and remained at peace with the world while keeping the United States at its side should conflict occur. Any fair analysis of Japanese power, therefore, and the country’s global role must take this narrower agenda into account. In this sense, the economic and other nonmilitary levers at Japan’s disposal have allowed it to meet Japan’s immediate needs.
