Thirty-five years ago, Professor Kent Calder, one of the most prominent overseas observers of Japanese politics, argued that Japan was a “reactive state,” which is incapable of policy change without outside pressure. In recent years, however, Japanese foreign policy seems to be increasingly proactive. Has the situation changed sufficiently to revise the theory by now? We will address this question with Professor Calder, who coined the concept of reactive state. Can Japan be a proactive player in world politics, especially in 2023, when Japan hosts the G-7 summit and related meetings?

Speaker: Kent E. Calder
Moderator: Keisuke Iida

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