Japan's foreign policy maturation: A quest for normalcy

The sudden end of the Cold War took the Japanese foreign policy community by surprise. The Yoshida Doctrine which served Japanese foreign policy so well during the Cold War is no longer a viable foreign policy option. This dissertation examines the restructuring of Japanese foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. Through a series of 56 interviews with Japanese foreign policy elites (Diet members, Academics, Foreign Ministry and Defense Agency officials), the changes in Japanese foreign policy are put in the context of the foreign policy change literature. The dissertation seeks to chart the future direction of Japanese foreign policy as Japan seeks to normalize its foreign policy, particularly in terms of its security agenda. The central hypothesis is that Japan is seeking to establish a more independent foreign/security policy reducing dependence on the United States, while still retaining the American security guarantee.