Reviewing the Twenty Years of Japan’s “Human Security” : From Elusive Theory to Sharp Practice

Abstract

This article discusses human security as Japan’s unique diplomatic asset. Human security focuses on protection of individuals from a wide range of threats. In author’s observation, Japan’s human security policy has two dimensions. First, it is a global notion accomplished in the UN by Japan’s sponsorship and intellectual leadership. In order to universalize the concept of human security, Japan supported the positions of developing countries by respecting their policies of non-intervention or sovereignty, while mitigating western countries’ criticisms at their non-democratic systems or human rights records. However, when Japan practiced human security as a guiding principle of its ODA or development cooperation, it is more sharply conscious of the aims to promote liberal values such as democracy or human rights based on its national interests. Especially the current Abe administration has demonstrated such a consistent tendency in light of China’s growing influence on regional order or even alternative ideology to western-led “global governance.” This article argues such Japan’s human security policy’s double nature rather might be useful to compromise with China because it could offer flexible options between accommodation by elusive theory and competition by sharp practice.