How is Kantei Diplomacy Back?: Comparison of Kantei-led Security Policy Making Process between Koizumi and Abe

Kantei;Kantei Diplomacy;Prime Minister Koizumi;Prime Minister Abe;Security Policy Making Process;Japanese Politics;327

국제대학원 국제학과 ;

University:서울대학교 대학원

关键词: Kantei;    Kantei Diplomacy;    Prime Minister Koizumi;    Prime Minister Abe;    Security Policy Making Process;    Japanese Politics;    327;   

Others  :  http://s-space.snu.ac.kr/bitstream/10371/129131/1/000000141363.pdf

美国|英语

来源: Seoul National University Open Repository

【 摘 要 】

The goal of this paper is to discover how prime minister’s office (Kantei) is at the center of Japan’s security policy making. This research particularly focuses on the parallel comparison between Koizumi and Abe regime’s security policy making process while analyzing interaction among Kantei, politicians, bureaucrats and public opinion. Conventional academic discourses on the prime minister in Japan’s policy making are simply divided into three parts: prime minister’s power is weak, strong or changeable depending on prime minister’s individual leadership style. However, dichotomous thinking of whether the prime minister is merely strong or weak based on institutional factors or individual characteristic cannot effectively explain the sudden rise and fall of Japanese prime minister’s leadership from 2001 to 2015 and paying attention to the organization of Kantei and its dynamism with politicians, bureaucracy and public opinion is important. Therefore, the paper deals with dynamics of policy making process among Kantei, politicians, bureaucrats and the public. Based on the result of comparison between Koizumi and second Abe administration’s Kantei diplomacy, author argues that, with institutional benefit, both Koizumi and Abe’s Kantei which is comprised of professional and influential people were at the center of policy making process and effectively prevented the opposition from veto players such as politicians, bureaucrats and public. However, on the other hand, Koizumi and Abe had different strategies and Abe Kantei is more powerful than Koizumi Kantei because he holds veto players more tightly in his grip. Moreover, the comparison with weak premiership from 2006 to 2012 presents that it is convincing that strong Kantei leadership is back when Kantei which is organized by qualified and powerful people should overcome the influence from three veto players including politicians, bureaucrats and the public.