Japan's Rush to the Pacific War: The Institutional Roots of Overbalancing

This book investigates the phenomenon of overbalancing through an analysis of Japans foreign policy during the interbellum. Japan withdrew from a naval arms control framework, triggering a naval arms race with the United States and destroying the last institutionalized structure regulating the relationship between the two Pacific powers. This led to tensions that culminated with the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. A neoclassical realist model explains Japans overbalancing with a combination of threat perception and civil-military relations, as military influence on foreign policy surged during the Manchurian crisis. The perceptual and policy biases of the military penetrated the decision-making process, leading to an over-depoliticization of the military institution and a myopic but conscious approach to international affairs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 313 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This book delves into the phenomenon of overbalancing by examining Japan's foreign policy during the interbellum period. In the mid-1930s, Japan's decision to withdraw from a naval arms control framework that had been in place since the early 1920s led to a naval arms race with the United States, which ultimately drained Japan's economy and destroyed the last institutionalized structure regulating the relationship between the two Pacific powers. This escalation of tensions culminated in the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Interestingly, despite the relatively stable international environment in the Asia-Pacific region at the time, Washington was pursuing a policy of accommodation towards Tokyo. By rejecting arms control and engaging in unfettered naval expansion, Japan overbalanced against the United States and began its rush to the Pacific War.

To explain Japan's overbalancing, the book employs a neoclassical realist model that combines the literatures on threat perception and civil-military relations. During the Manchurian crisis of 1931-1933, as the Japanese government collaborated with the military institution to address the situation in China, military influence on the formulation of foreign policy surged. The perceptual and policy biases of the military, which include a tendency to distrust other countries' intentions, to adopt worst-case analyses of international dynamics, and to strive to maximize military power, gradually penetrated the decision-making process.

Dysfunctions in the preexisting structure of Japanese civil-military relations, engendered by an over-depoliticization of the military institution, allowed the navy to convince policymakers. This collaboration between the government and the military institution led to a militarization of foreign policy, where the military's interests became prioritized over those of other government agencies.

The book also highlights the role of domestic politics in Japan's overbalancing. The Japanese public, influenced by the military's expansionist rhetoric and the perceived threat from the United States, supported the government's policies. The military's dominance over the government and the lack of effective checks and balances contributed to the militarization of foreign policy.

Furthermore, the book explores the consequences of Japan's overbalancing. The naval arms race with the United States drained Japan's resources and weakened its economy, making it vulnerable to external pressures. The militarization of foreign policy also led to a disregard for international law and norms, as Japan pursued territorial expansion and sought to dominate the Asia-Pacific region.

The book's analysis provides valuable insights into the factors that contributed to Japan's overbalancing and its implications for the region and the world. It highlights the importance of maintaining a stable international environment, promoting peaceful relations, and ensuring that the military's influence on foreign policy is properly balanced with other government agencies.

In conclusion, this book offers a comprehensive examination of Japan's overbalancing and its impact on the interbellum period. It sheds light on the complex interplay between international relations, military power, and domestic politics, and provides valuable insights into the factors that led to Japan's rush to the Pacific War. The book's analysis is relevant to contemporary discussions about the balance of power, the role of the military in foreign policy, and the risks associated with military expansionism.

Weight: 570g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031220524
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023