Japan is not so unique!

What is it about?

The idea that Japan is playing an ‘alternative role’ in its foreign policy—that it is keeping a ‘conspicuously lowprofile’ and that its stance is in some sense ‘unique’—has been a recurring theme ofanalysis ofJapanese foreign policy. This article aims to critique this idea ofJapanese exceptionalism.

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Why is it important?

Apart from critiquing the notion of Japanese exceptionalism, the article analyzes Japan's North Korea policy to argue that Japan has exercised power by obstructing the actors involved in the Six-Party Talks. This conclusion is substantiated by comparison with Tokyo’s role in other important instances of North Korea policy coordination over the period 1993–2002. By comparing Japanese behaviour with that of the USA, China, Russia and North Korea, the article concludes, furthermore, that the concepts of ‘obstructionism’ and ‘power’ facilitate understanding of their behaviour as well—with the implication that Japan’s foreign policy is not so unique.

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