Japan's post-Cold War security policy: the role of Korea

Abstract

This thesis illustrates why Japan should play a more important role in South Korea's strategic planning and policy making by demonstrating that Japan is a economical global power with innate aspirations of becoming a political superpower. This is accomplished by forecasting Japan's security policy of post- cold war era using a historical analysis of post world war II Japan's history, and augmented by a strategical analysis of three key indicators of Japan's future security policy: Japan's strategical environment, economical environment, and domestic condition. The thesis recommends that the need of cooperation between South Korea and Japan and ways for South Korea to cooperate with Japan.