A Sequence Analysis of International Peace Operations: Japan’s Contribution to Human Security of East Timor

Japan’s commitments to the UN-authorized peace operations in East Timor were the largest contribution the country has made in the history of its international peace operations. Notably, Japan’s participation in the peacebuilding operations in East Timor was based on “human security” as one of the pillars of its diplomatic policy. Moreover, Japan’s participation in the peace operations in East Timor was a touchstone issue for its human security policy. Yet, one simple but important question arises. How consistent were Japan’s commitments to the peace operations? In an attempt to answer to this question, this paper systematically examines Japan’s contributions to the international peace operations for East Timor. In order to investigate long-term and complicated activities in the peace operations, this paper employs timeline “sequence analysis” as a research method which combines and simplifies analytical models suggested in earlier scholarship. Through the application of sequence analysis, this paper investigates four stages of Japan’s contributions to the peace operations in East Timor: 1) preventive deployment (UNAMET), 2) peace-enforcement (INTERFET), 3) peacekeeping (UNTAET), and 4) peacebuilding (e.g. UNMISET). The findings of this research reveal to what extent Japan’s commitments to the peace operations were consistent and for human security of East Timor

Japan’s international peace operations in South Sudan: Peacekeeping and civilian protection dilemmas

After the independence of South Sudan from Sudan on 9 July 2011, the Japanese government decided to dispatch its Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to South Sudan under the auspices of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS). Despite the post-conflict military clashes in South Sudan, the Japanese government did not withdraw the SDF, but instead, the Abe administration assigned a new mission, the so-called ‘kaketsuke-keigo’ (‘rush and rescue’), to rescue staff of international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGO) in preparation for possible armed attacks during peacekeeping operations. The new mission can be regarded as Prime Minister Abe’s ‘proactive contribution to peace’ (proactive pacifism) in action, and the policy is congruous with the purpose of ‘human security’ and ‘protection of civilians’. This paper aims to investigate Japan’s contribution to peacekeeping operations in South  Sudan and examine associated dilemmas facing the United Nations, the Japanese government, and the Japanese peacekeepers in UNMISS – which need to be overcome for future international peace operations.Keywords: Japanese government, kaketsuke-keigo, Peace and Security Legislation, peacekeeping operations (PKOs), protection of civilians (POC), United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS

'Negative pacifism' and 'positive pacifism' : Japan's changing security identity and implications for international peace and security

NOTE: The original thesis file was damaged and only the first 9 pages of this document were available. In June 2020, the author supplied the full thesis on request. Because the front matter of the supplied version differs from the original file, the two have been combined so that no material is lost______________/Original abstract: This thesis examines Japan’s changing pacifism and its implications for Japan’s security identity from 1945 to the present. Existing literature overlooks a correlation between the shift in the nature of Japan’s pacifism and its changing security identity. Moreover, earlier scholarship tends to focus on a particular theoretical perspective, and, therefore, offers limited theoretical analyses. Accordingly, the main aim of the thesis is to contribute to filling this research gap by applying an alternative framework combined with an eclectic approach and offering a comprehensive analysis of Japan’s pacifism and security identity. To examine the shift in Japanese pacifism, the thesis employed the concept of ‘negative pacifism’ (Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution) and ‘positive pacifism’ (the Preamble of the Constitution) as an analytical framework. The conceptualisation is derived from a definition of ‘negative-positive peace’ (Galtung 1969). To analyse multiple factors which facilitated the shift in Japan’s pacifism, the thesis applied ‘analytical eclecticism’ (Katzenstein 2008) and integrated the analytical framework (negative-positive pacifism) with orthodox international relations theories and approach. In an application of analytical eclecticism, the thesis proposed four theoretical perspectives of Japan’s security identity (constructivism): (a) pacifist state (classical liberalism/negative pacifism); (b) UN peacekeeper (neo-liberalism/positive pacifism); (c) normal state (classical realism/domestic pressure); and (d) US ally (neorealism/ external-structural pressure). The main argument of the thesis is that there has been an incremental shift from negative pacifism to positive pacifism in response to domestic and external pressures and that this shift has influenced Japan’s security identity. The core questions asked were: 1) What factors caused the shifts from ‘negative pacifism’ to ‘positive pacifism’?; 2) Has Japan been ‘normalising’ its military power by participating in international peace operations?; and 3) How have the shifts to ‘positive pacifism’ influenced Japan’s ‘core security identity’ as a ‘global pacifist state’? In order to substantiate the main argument and examine the questions, the thesis investigated the following case studies: (a) Japan’s security policy from 1945-1990; (b) Japan’s contributions to UNPKO in Cambodia and East Timor; (c) Japan’s responses to the US-led War on Terror; (d) Japan’s security cooperation with Australia and its implications for regional security; and (e) the Japanese constitutional revision issue in relation to Japan’s core security identity as a global image. This study concluded that although Japan’s security identity is fluctuating between the four models above, its core security identity has become, and remains that of a ‘global pacifist state’. The findings of this research demonstrated that an analysis based on the concept of negative-positive pacifism as an analytical framework combined with analytical eclecticism as an alternative research method assists in a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s pacifism and security identity. In this way, the thesis made an important contribution to the study of Japanese pacifism, security policy and international relations theory

The Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty and the Paradox of Japan’s Nuclear Identity

On 7 July 2017, the “Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty” (NWPT) to ban nuclear weapons in general was adopted in the United Nations General Assembly. The Japanese government, however, voted against the NWPT while insisting on its own resolution plan to facilitate global nuclear elimination. This paper examines Japan’s nuclear identity with regard to the legal prohibition of nuclear weapons, especially the NWPT. Why did the Japanese government vote against the NWPT despite the fact that Japan is the sole state to have ever suffered nuclear bombing in war? With a view to providing multiple perspectives regarding this simple but important question, this paper applies “analytical eclecticism” in combination with international relations theory. The multiple theoretical perspectives on Japan’s policy toward nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament are instrumental in clarifying Japan’s nuclear identity and exploring its role in nuclear abolition. Finally, this paper considers alternative policy options that the Japanese government needs to take into consideration and put into practice in order to bridge a gap between nuclear and nonnuclear countries toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons

An Analysis of the ICNND : The Japan-Australia Collaboration for Nuclear Abolition

The Japanese and Australian governments supported the establishment of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) in 2008. During its two-year mandate, the ICNND organized international conferences in Sydney, Washington, Moscow, and Hiroshima. The commission made specific proposals in a final report entitled Eliminating Nuclear Threats: A Practical Agenda for Global Policy Makers. This research note examines the significance of the report, while paying special attention to its limitations. In particular, this study criticizes the nuclear policies of Japan and Australia that have depended upon U.S. extended nuclear deterrence and peaceful use of atomic energy. Finally, it suggests five alternatives for Japan and Australia so that both countries can resume further endeavors towards a world free of nuclear threats

International Regulation of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS): Paradigms of Policy Debate in Japan

Civil society organizations have warned that if lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) are created, such weapons would cause serious problems with regards to human rights. Although fully autonomous weapons do not exist at this stage, several countries are thought to have developed semi-autonomous weapons equipped with artificial intelligence. LAWS related issues have been a part of international discussions in the United Nations, and the Japanese government has actively participated in these conferences. Japanese politicians have also discussed issues related to LAWS in the National Diet since 2015. This article provides multiple paradigms of Japans policy toward LAWS from the perspectives of international relations theory, and attempts to explore possible solutions to the international regulation of LAWS in international law

Allergic Potency of Japanese Cedar Pollen Cry j 1 Is Reduced by a Low Concentration of Hypochlorous Acid Generated by Electolysis

ABSTRACTBackgroundAlthough Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis has developed into a health problem, few methods eradicate indoor allergens completely. In a recent study, however, the effectiveness of inactivation with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) treatment was revealed. Therefore, the present study aimed to elucidate the ability of chlorine bleach (NaOCl) to reduce the immunogenicity of the major allergenic protein of Japanese cedar (Cry j 1).MethodsSodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, and skin testing were carried out in 7 individuals.ResultsThe allergenic protein was undetectable using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining at a sodium hypochlorite/allergenic protein molar ratio of 457. Western blotting with human sera showed the same dose-dependent efficacy. The immunogenicity of the purified protein and cedar pollen was also demonstrated on enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay to be reduced by sodium hypochlorite treatment in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, sodium hypochlorite-treatment inhibited the skin test response to the protein in all 7 individuals.ConclusionsHypochlorous acid generated by electrolysis is an effective method for significantly reducing the immunogenicity of Cry j 1

For Vol.70, No.5 pp405-408 A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Rectal Diclofenac and Sublingual Nitrate as a Combined Prophylactic Treatment for Post-ERCP Pancreatitis

In the article by Tomoda T et al. entitled “A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Rectal Diclofenac and Sublingual Nitroglycerin as a Combined Prophylactic Treatment for Post-ERCP Pancreatitis”, which appeared in the October 2016 issue, Vol. 70, No. 5, pp405-408, the word “nitroglycerin” should be corrected to “nitrate” throughout the manuscript