| As an important power in the Asia-Pacific region and an ally of the United States,Japan has been gradually intervening in the South China Sea issue since the 1990 s.It is another extra-territorial country having strongly intervened in the issue besides the United States,whose relevant policy has made an important impact on the landscape in the South China Sea.Since the Liberal Democratic Party regained the control of Japan at the end of 2012,Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,the dual representative of the Japanese political elites and the right-wing forces,has imposed strong individual will on Japan's policy towards China,especially when it comes to the South China Sea,which is closely related to China.Taking advantage of the US-Japan alliance,Abe and his cabinet staff woo India,Australia and ASEAN countries by economic and diplomatic means and attempt to multilateralize and internationalize the issue by all means,so that Japan can gain as many diplomatic chips and national interests as possible from the South China Sea.With regard of the powerful role played by Abe in the Japanese diplomatic decision-making,this thesis tries to clarify the connection between Japanese political elites and diplomatic decision-making.It formulates a new research perspective elite decision-making—by combining political elite's theory in politics with diplomatic decision-making theory in diplomacy,on the basis of which,it figures out how political elites influence diplomatic decision-making and then analyzes how Abe and his cabinet develop and influence Japan's South China Sea policy.On the one hand,the analysis finds attribution for the continuous deterioration of the current Sino-Japanese relations.On the other hand,it offers a better understanding of Japan's South China Sea policy to make strategic predictions and effective response in the future,which will create a favorable environment for China to maintain its sovereign interests and develop peacefully in the South China Sea. |
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