After The War The Origin Of Japan's National Security Policy (1945-1951)

Mainly based on the lately published book of the Japanese Diplomatic Documents which related to the Japanese Peace Treaty, and also based on the theory of the national security and other documents and relevant research, this paper aims to explore the origin and development of the Japanese national security concept in the early post-war years, and the question of why the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty is inevitable which resulted in the fact that the Japan-U.S. alliance finally forms the basis of Japanese national security policies in the post-war years.This paper holds that Japan's motivations are situational on the issue of the post-war national security. Japan did not show intentions to new alliance initially and then made adjustments according to the change of the international situation and the United States policy toward . The Japanese national security concept experienced a process from the permanent neutrality to relying on the United Nations, and eventually to the dependence on the United States. Considering the reality of occupation by the US troops and the deteriorating international situation which was the result of the Cold War, it is reasonable that Japan decided to use American forces to protect herself with the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and use this action of bandwagon against threat from the Soviet Union. This decision indicates that Japan once again restored her practical and traditional foreign policy of dependence on the powerful ally against the enemies. Therefore, in the post-war years , on the basis of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, the Japan-U.S. Security System ensures the safety of defenseless Japan and inevitably becomes the top priority over the her national security policy affairs.