Study On Revision Of Japan Nation Strategy In View Of The Debate On Constitution Amendment

Since the 1990s, with the termination of Cold War and new changes in the international political and economical order, the situation of the Northeast Asian region has relaxed. The national relationship in the Northeast Asian region shows a good tendency that dialogue is taking place of confrontation and cooperation is taking place of hostility, but there are still numerous uncertain factors and its tendency depends on the judgment of each countries on the present and future international relationship setup and the result of diplomatic game.Japan is a main power in the Northeast Asian region. The trend of its nation strategy and diplomatic tactics puts great impacts on other countries and influences the formation of the new international relation setup of security, stability, mutual trust and cooperation.After WWII, Japanese national strategy has experienced processes of establishing, steadily developing and revising by a big margin.From the early postwar period to the 1970s, in the frame of"the Peace Constitution", Japan had insisted on the national strategy centered on"Yoshida's line". In political strategy, it followed the West led by U.S.A. in order to return the international community; in military strategy, it carried on"Basic Policy for National Defense", dependent on"Treaty of Security and Safeguard between Japan and United States"and American"nuclear protective umbrella"; in economic strategy, it had focused all attention on the economic recovery and development to achieve economic modernization. These had consisted of chief contents of Japan nation developing strategy at that time, which principal part of strategies was"the economic statehood". Relying on this nation developing strategy, Japan had got American overall supports, achieved steady and peaceful international surroundings and brought about long-term high-speed economic developing and steady society.With the high-speed developing of Japanese economy finished, there were changes in its political and social structures. Especially in the 1980s and 1990s, the radical changes in international community had put huge impact on Japan nation strategy. Under these circumstances, Japan began to adjust its nation strategy.In the economic field, Japan became the second biggest economic entity next to U.S. in the world and achieved its struggling objective of"great economic power"; in the international political field, depending on the great economic power, Japan began to strive for the right to speak and its will of"great political power"grew intense; in the military field, it constantly broke the restriction of"the Peace Constitution", on the pretence of strengthening the contribution to the international community, fastened its steps of military building and its conspire of becoming"great military power"had showed completely. In its domestic political situation, with the abolition of the system of 1955, the separation and reunion and the recombination of each parties became fast, the trend of right and conservative deviation forward became increasingly obvious, and the voice of amending the Constitution became louder and louder, which formed objectively the guide of public opinion that the nation should adjust its nation strategy.The 1990s was the critical period for Japan to revise its nation strategy, and, centering on"Normal State", Japan was definite in the new nation strategy of the combination of"great economic power","great political power"and"great military power"on the whole meanwhile it created conditions for this by constantly adjusting internal political structures.Reviewing the history of establishing and developing of Japan postwar nation strategy, we can find an important phenomenon that its nation strategy and Japan Constitution are interwoven. In the early postwar period, the formation of Japan nation strategy was based on Japan Constitution, which might be said that Constitution mainly embodied the national benefit that nation strategy was pursuing at that time. After that, several revisions of nation strategies and the revision in the large scale until after the 1990s were accompanying the voice of amending Constitution. Although Japan haven't carried on the overall amendment on Constitution till now, by announcing explanations to Constitution articles and issuing several regulations, it has broken the restriction of Constitution practically, and finished the transformation of establishing nation strategy of"Normal State". In general, the nucleus of Japan new nation strategies is on the premise of strengthening U.S.-Japan Alliance to revise postwar Peace Constitution, to strive for the international statue of great political power through taking up the post of Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council, to lead the developing of East Asian region with its economic and military power, and to pursue its maximum national benefits by giving full scope to the international community.Japan's revising the nation strategy centered on"Yoshida's line"and establishing the new nation strategies of the combination of"great economic power","great political power"and"great military power"under the name of"Normal State"is based on its judgment on internal and international situation and is a strategic choice to achieve maximum national benefits. So Constitution-amending Movement is also a link to carry on its nation strategy.At present, Japan has made full preparation for amending Constitution and it is estimated that it will become true in the near future. If the amendment of constitution succeeds, it means that Japan new nation strategy will have formed formally, and Japan nation strategy will enter a new historical period.