First Advisor

Mel Gurtov

Term of Graduation

Spring 1999

Date of Publication

6-4-1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science

Department

Political Science

Language

English

Subjects

World War (1939-1945) -- Japan, War crime trial -- Japan, Japan -- Politics and government -- 1945

Physical Description

1 online resource (2, 147 pages)

Abstract

In discussion of Japan's role in the world, scholars and politicians have often pointed out the significance of Japan's war memories. Japan is considered an anomalous actor because of its status as an economic superpower without military or political weight. Memories of World War II have been defined as a constraining factor in Japan's attempts to assume a greater role in international affairs.

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the origins and the functions of the memory factor. While common explanations have been either psychological or cultural, I took a political approach, adopting the Realists' theory that states and other political actors act rationally in pursuit of their self-interest.

Based on information acquired from scholarly works and primary sources such as official documents and newspaper articles, I argue that the origin of the problem lies in the failure of the Tokyo trial and other settlements arranged at the end of the World War II. The failure was due to the fact that the interest of the United States and other wartime Allies prevailed over principles of justice. I also argue that the resurgence of the war memory issue since the early 1980s has been a result of certain changes at the international level and Japan's failure to adapt to such changes.

The self-interest of states and political groups involved created chains of reactions that aggravated the problem.

These arguments lead to the conclusion that the memory factor should not been seen merely as a constraint to be removed. In order to resolve the war memory issue, a broader context of structural variables, both at the systemic and the national levels, must be addressed. What is required is a fundamental change in Japan's policymaking process and its definition of national interest to one that emphasizes the positive contributions to international security that a pacifist state can make.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44593

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