The Japanese government has enacted a series of new laws and correlating policies, molded in galvanizing rhetoric of 'adhering to the rule of law in an international context' and a 'pro-active...Show moreThe Japanese government has enacted a series of new laws and correlating policies, molded in galvanizing rhetoric of 'adhering to the rule of law in an international context' and a 'pro-active contribution to peace', justifying the gradual change of its passive stance on cyber-security into a more aggressive one. Yet, in the cyber-realm, the rule of law in an international context is not a static all-encompassing concept; it is filled with normative voids, and constantly in flux, similar to the ever-evolving interpretations behind the rationale of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, and the extent to which this allegedly legitimizes shifts in the underpinning security landscape. This thesis provides an insight into the actions conducted by the Japanese government, the significance of their rhetoric, and reveals underlying patterns in the construction of their narratives, by analyzing how political discourse shapes the security landscape, how this affects the (de-)evolution of law, and vice versa. It demonstrates that opposing views on the lethality of cyber-operations contribute to the splintering of international law, hereby creating leeway for the Abe-administration to utilize these lacunae as a rhetorical tool to shift the paradigm of Japan's domestic law. As I argue here, however, there is little rationale that stems from international legal concepts to justify connecting cyber-security to Abe’s vision for general security reform.Show less
This thesis, submitted as a graduation thesis for the BA International Studies at Leiden University, discusses how contemporary manga can serve as a medium for political messages and ideas. Due to...Show moreThis thesis, submitted as a graduation thesis for the BA International Studies at Leiden University, discusses how contemporary manga can serve as a medium for political messages and ideas. Due to its unique features vis-à-vis other forms of comics, manga has been a powerful tool for the production and consumption of cultural meaning by both its author and audience. Indeed, manga artists, such as Shigeru Mizuki and Osamu Tezuka, have actively used their works to convey various political messages and ideas, thereby forming public opinion on certain matters. However, scholar Hiroki Azuma claims that contemporary manga lack such capabilities, stating that they merely provide fan-service to consumers. Since no other author challenges Azuma’s claim, this thesis performs qualitative analyses on contemporary manga about the Japanese constitution and constitutional revision, in order to disprove Azuma’s claim, and to prove that contemporary manga, too, can have a political narrative. Analysing one government manga (Honobono Ikka no Kenpo Kaisei tte Nani?), two instructional manga (Ishinomori Shotaro no Manga Nipponkoku Kenpou and Manga de Wakaru Nipponkoku Kenpou), and one story manga series (Time Slip), this thesis reveals the various messages on constitutional change these contemporary manga seek to convey. Ultimately, this thesis disproves Azuma’s claim, showing that contemporary manga, too, can act as carriers of political meaning, and that they can either challenge or assert a certain hegemonic discourse.Show less
This thesis will examine Abe’s push to constitutional reinterpretation and how the political left reacted to his argument by focusing on the following question: did the Japanese left-wing political...Show moreThis thesis will examine Abe’s push to constitutional reinterpretation and how the political left reacted to his argument by focusing on the following question: did the Japanese left-wing political actors reconsider their view on Article 9 and Japan’s current defense attitude? If the extreme political left of Japan has altered their stance on Abe and his push for reinterpretation, it means that the whole debate on Japanese defense policy is changing altogether. Therefore, Shinzō Abe might have had an impact on how Article 9 and Japan’s defense posture are perceived by the political left-wing. This will be analyzed through the model of securitization, as defined by the Copenhagen School of Security Studies. By applying this framework, this thesis will show how Abe attempts to securitize the issue of Japan’s national identity through addressing Japan’s defense capabilities and how the left-wing responds by counter-securitizing the issue of pacifism within national identity. The second goal of the thesis is to present the validity of the Copenhagen School’s framework by showing its applicability to the case of Japan’s constitutional reinterpretation. First, we shall analyze the literature on both Shinzō Abe’s reinterpretation attempt and the securitization model. Secondly, we will examine the nature of Abe’s push to constitutional reinterpretation by analyzing a book he wrote before he became prime minister and a book he wrote while he was prime minister. In this way, we can establish whether his stance has changed on reinterpreting the constitution. Then we will explore if and how Abe’s attempt for reinterpretation has reshaped the views of the political left in Japan. The effect of Abe’s push to reinterpret the constitution on popular opinion will be exposed by analyzing the phenomenon of counter-securitization by Japanese left-wing activists. We will look at in what manner the attempt has affected the left-wing in their rhetoric by examining scholarly articles on the subject. If this is the case, we might conclude that the Japanese extreme left is currently in the middle of a shift towards middle left.Show less
