#1 Is Japan Still a Reactive State? 35 Years On

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 questio…