A Comparative Case Study of Japan’s Territorial Disputes:Linkage of Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy

• Main Authors: Hsuan-Yu Chen, 陳瑄毓
• Other Authors: Shiouh-guang Wu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/k9qrx8

碩士 === 國立臺北大學 === 公共行政暨政策學系 === 102 === 　　Over the past few years, Japanese relation with its neighbor countries deteriorated because of Japanese government’s claim of sovereignty over recent disputed territories, including Diaoyu Islands, Liancourt Rocks, Kuril Islands and Okinotorishima. The neighbor countries, such as China, Taiwan, South Korea and Russia are all irritated by Japan’s recent moves. According to the international relation theories, country is the key actor. However, after globalizing and democratizing spread out over the world, many scholars believe that the domestic politics have some influence on international politics. Many scholars in international relations believe there may be domestic politics behind Japan’s simultaneously monolithic move. Factors of domestic politics include: public opinion, economic situations, political parties, bureaucrats, and political leaders. Therefore, in this paper, these five dimensions are utilized to analyze those Japanese territorial disputes and to understand whether domestic politics affect international politics or not. Based on document analyses and comparative case studies, discussing the relation between domestic and international politics; also, observing the gearing effect on these disputed territories. 　　According to the research, domestic politics have a great effect upon international politics. The level of attention and the degree of pressure affect actors to make different decision by either bureaucrats or leaders. In the cases of Diaoyu Islands and Liancourt Rocks, the highly attention and pressure made a leader to step in the diplomatic policies and played more predominant role. On the other hand, in the cases of Kuril Islands and Okinotorishima, the less attention and pressure made bureaucrats have more room to make decisions. All kinds of domestic pressures could be considered a mechanism of politics actors’ interactions in domestic and the interpretation of external political actors’ moves. For example, if actors mislead the interpretation, the political pressure increases. Moreover, there is a gearing effect on those four disputed territories, which will change the preference from domestic politics actors and the strategy of international alliance. In the end, territorial disputes got more and more complicated. 　　In conclusion, due to the difficulties on territorial disputes and historical problems among Japan and other countries, the solutions of Japanese dilemma are the government should change the agenda setting in domestic politics and strengthen communication of civilization in order to avoid right-wings heating up disputes and to re-build the trust among other countries. After that, the Japanese government may find ways to deal with other countries on historical problems than territorial disputes.