I am happy to announce the publication of a volume I co-edited with Wilhelm Vosse through the Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies Series: New Directions in Japan's Security: Non-U.S. Centric Evolution. This book examines the decentering or diversification in Tokyo´s security policy away from relying on the US as Japan´s sole security partner since the end of the Cold War, even as its US alliance has remained strong and strengthened. It features chapters on the lifting of the ban on arms exports and weapons co-development with non-US partners, Japan´s inward debate on constitutional reform, Japan´s new security partnerships with Australia, India, Philippines, and Vietnam, its promotion of regional security multilateralism, its security cooperation with Europe in counter-piracy and post conflict peace-building. It also has two chapters with Chinese and American reflections on these changes in Japan´s security policy. Below is a link on Amazon and the book advert.

Best,
Paul Midford
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0367416034?pf_rd_r=6ND7DN686BJ1R81XYNZ2&pf_rd_p=edaba0ee-c2fe-4124-9f5d-b31d6b1bfbee

While the US-Japan alliance has strengthened since the end of the Cold War, Japan has, almost unnoticed, been building security ties with other partners, in the process reducing the centrality of the US in Japan's security. This book explains why this is happening.

Japan pursued security isolationism during the Cold War, but the US was the exception. Japan hosted US bases and held joint military exercises even while shunning contacts with other militaries. Japan also made an exception to its weapons export ban to allow exports to the US. Yet, since the end of the Cold War, Japan's security has undergone a quiet transformation, moving away from a singular focus on the US as its sole security partner. Tokyo has begun diversifying its security ties. This book traces and explains this diversification. The country has initiated security dialogues with Asian neighbors, assumed a leadership role in promoting regional multilateral security cooperation, and begun building bilateral security ties with a range of partners, from Australia and India to the European Union. Japan has even lifted its ban on weapons exports and co-development with non-US partners. This edited volume explores this trend of decreasing US centrality alongside the continued, and perhaps even growing, security (inter) dependence with the US.

New Directions in Japan's Security is an essential resource for scholars focused on Japan's national security. It will also interest on a wider basis those wishing to understand why Japan is developing non-American directions in its security strategy.