When Domestic Factors Matter

Abstract

How and to what extent do domestic factors matter in foreign policy? More specifically, how did domestic processes in Japan impact the US-Japan agreement on relocating US bases in Okinawa? What types of domestic obstacles did the Japanese government confront in carrying out the relocation plan? Since 1996 the central government of Japan has been struggling in carrying out what it has promised to the United States: the construction of a new heliport to replace the US Marine Corps Air Base Futenma. This article looks at domestic elements that created obstacles for the Japanese government in fulfilling the commitment with the United States. It argues that although international settings provide incentives for states to choose cooperative policies toward allies, domestic variables limit the efficiency of implementing policy choices. More specifically, a clear division of domestic actors in multiple political and social layers works as a major obstacle that delays or blocks the processes of implementing alliance cooperation.