Japan: Strategic Goals and Their Implementation; Mentalities and Perceptions of the Outside World

Abstract

International opinion about Japan has remained very pessimistic in recent years. There are almost no voices that share the optimism that was common currency during the eighties. One major factor behind these dark views is that people tend to focus on short-term economic facts and neglect the cultural and social factors that are so important for a correct picture of Japan’s future. Despite this, the economy certainly plays an important role in the realm of security policy since the military and strategic capacities of a country greatly depend on its economic strength.