A report on the conference organised by the Comité d’études de défense nationale (Committee for National Defence Studies) held on 1 July 2005. Japan is seeking to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and has had to bring its defence policy into line with that political objective. The alliance between Japan and the United States, based on a more equal partnership, and the rejection of nuclear deterrence remain constant themes. On the other hand, the review of the structure of its self-defence forces, and the acquisition of means that allow them to take on new missions overseas, seem to give Japan a new role.
Conference - Japan’s Strategic Challenges and Risks by his Excellency Mr Hiroshi Hirabayashi, Japanese Ambassador to France
During the last decade, since the end of the Cold War, the international environment has developed considerably; today we have to face new challenges: international terrorism; a proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons and light weapons; a resurgence in ethnic and religious conflicts, and so on.
These new dangers, which are constantly evolving, put the stability of the world at risk. The rising number of terrorist attacks, particularly since 11 September 2001, has changed the paradigm of international security considerably, and the idea of deterrence has lost much of its credibility.
The Situation in Asia
Asia, which comprises half of the world’s population, has witnessed remarkable economic development, but the roots of conflict and instability remain. Following the Second World War, Europe succeeded in building alliances to further both security and dialogue within Europe and across the Atlantic, and was able to create a more secure and peaceful European region. In Asia, on the other hand, the negative legacies of the Cold War have always been very real, and the region is still suffering the consequences.
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