Japan and the Regional Security Complex in the Asia-Pacific region 1931-1945

Abstract

This paper aims to analyse the Regional Security Complex (RSC) in the Asia-Pacific region from 1931-1945, from the perspective of the Empire of Japan. Along with the rise of Germany, the rise of Imperial Japan in the Asia-Pacific region is crucial to international relations. The challenge that Imperial Japan posed to the Status Quo in the region has had lasting effects that molded the current RSC. The RSC of the Asia-Pacific has risen to be critically important to the International System at large. With so many eyes peering in its direction, the importance of examining its past challenges is of utmost importance to orient present and future decision making. After all, the past is not dead, it’s not even past. The hipothesis of this paper is that internal factors (such as faulty institutions struggling to adapt to new social conditions, militarism, extremist politics and a lack of responsible leadership) were as important to the destabilisaton of the RSC in the Asia-Pacific region as the general disruption to the balance of power. The analyzes stresses out the importance of adopting a regional perspective and focusing not only on states but also on other security actors. Data will be used interpretatively; meaning that the focus will be on understanding events in a comprehensive/holistic way. Keywords: Regional Security Complex Theory, balance of power, soft power, international relations, foreign policy.