Maritime Strategy and National Security in Japan and Britain
>From the First Alliance to Post-9/11

Edited by

Alessio Patalano |Lecturer in East Asian Warfare & Security | Department of War Studies, King's College London

(Publisher: Brill/Global Oriental, June 2012, http://www.brill.nl/maritime-strategy-and-national-secu
rity-japan-and-britain)

Synopsis
Drawing upon a pool of international scholars, Japanese and British military professionals, this thought-provoking volume explores how, across more than a century, sea power empowered Japan and the UK with a defensive shield, an instrument of deterrence, and an enabling tool in expeditionary missions and the management of strategic alliances.

The volume debates how the use of the sea for strategic purposes evolved in Japanese and British security policies, informing military postures from the end of the 19th century to the first decade of the 21st. It engages with the notion of Japan as the 'Britain of the Far East' and argues that, contrary to existing scholarly views, today, the foundations of Japanese and British military power are more similar than ever before. Today, a defence posture with a strong naval balance is central to national defence and international profile. What are the implications of such an argument for these two countries, and how is this affecting bilateral relations?

Reflecting on their expertise and experience, the different authors investigate these questions highlighting the extent to which naval power made British and Japanese strategic interests align in the first decades of the twentieth century and subsequently, diverge in the second half of the 1930s.
In the post-1945 period, Japanese and British defence policies followed parallel paths, with concerns about similar maritime economies and reduced military capabilities leading them to pursue a strategic alignment with the United States.

This volume draws upon the literature on the history of Anglo-Japanese relations to engage with important contemporary debates on the military role of these two island nations in international politics. It will appeal to academics and students with research interests in Anglo-Japanese relations, Japanese security studies, Cold War history, British military history and strategic studies. Policy-makers and defence practitioners in Japan and the UK will find in the book guidance on the respective security priorities and on the potential pathways for increased defence cooperation.

Dr Alessio Patalano
Department of War Studies
King's College London

New book by Alessio Patalano, 'Maritime Strategy and National Security in Japan and Britain: From the First Alliance to Post 9/11' now out by Brill/Global Oriental!
check it out at:
http://www.brill.nl/maritime-strategy-and-national-security-japan-and-britain