Rich Nation, Restrained Army (富国慎兵): Toward Japan’s Maritime Order in the 21st Century

Abstract

I explore Japan’s grand strategy in the oceans, meaning its homegrown “intellectual architecture” for promoting “Open and Stable Seas (開かれ安定した海洋).” Japan has shown a resolute commitment to maintaining the connectivity of international seas that underpin the stability and prosperity of the world. Also, Japan has maintained a restrained posture regarding its military roles and presence. I define Japan’s proactive economic engagement and restrained military posture as the “Rich Nation, Restrained Army (富国慎兵).” Why does Japan’s statecraft in the oceans display economic proactiveness but military restraint? The research question highlights a substantial gap between theoretical expectations and Japan’s reality. Realism has traditionally been the dominant theory explaining Japan’s foreign policy, with a primary focus on China’s rise as a core driving force. However, these explanations failed to elucidate Japan’s restrained military stance, raising doubts about Beijing-centered realist narratives. Furthermore, Japan’s vision for the maritime order, which emphasizes connectivity and an economic security approach, has been largely overlooked as well. To provide a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s response in the 21st century, I aim to analyze Japan’s grand strategy in the oceans, bridging the gap between theoretical expectations and Japan's post-Cold War realities. To analyze Japan’s statecraft in the maritime domain, my dissertation is structured in the following five chapters. The first chapter introduces the research question, argument, literature review, and research methods. The second chapter examines the evolutionary substance of Japan’s grand strategy in the oceans, with a focus on domestic legal and institutional changes following the first Basic Act on Ocean Policy in 2007. The third chapter investigates Japan’s regional approach to Southeast Asia, highlighting its cautious but proactive involvement in multilateral security cooperation and leveraging prior economic relations. This case underscores the strategic allocation of Official Development Assistance to enhance law enforcement capabilities through collaboration with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The fourth chapter assesses Japan’s global security cooperation within the Free and Open Indo-Pacific framework, with a focus on the roles of the Japan Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the JCG. After reviewing Japan’s contributions to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), the research also examines bilateral cooperation with the U.S., as well as Australia, India, South Korea, and the Pacific Island Countries.