Since the end of the Cold War the conduct of international relations has undergone several profound reformations. One of the more interesting manifestations of change can be observed in U.S.-Japanese relations. The relationship between these two nations, perhaps the world's closest allies, has become increasingly plagued by scandal and mutual recriminations. This dissertation attempts to account for the increasingly vitriolic nature of U.S.-Japanese relations by examining changing Japanese domestic politics over the past twenty years. While the conflict has been largely limited to rhetorical challenges to the status quo, this study is guided by the belief that words matter, and that often, rhetoric becomes reality.; How to account for change within a highly bureaucratized nation has been a challenge. By examining the roles of four policy entrepreneurs within the system, however, one can track the evolution of a changing relationship and how these individuals have impacted a byzantine civil service. This process began in the late-1970s with largely rhetorical and academic challenges to the U.S.-Japanese relationship. Policy changes followed during the mid-1980s.; Increasing the importance of policy entrepreneurship has been the new phenomenon of party competition in Japan. Contemporary entrepreneurs have been emboldened by the need to differentiate themselves from the larger political community and have thus become more radical.; The case study is divided into three distinct periods. The first examines events between 1978 and 1987 when Japanese politics was affected by nascent policy entrepreneurship. Two former Prime Ministers, Masayoshi Ohira and Yasuhiro Nakasone, are the important reformers during this period. Second, the period between 1987 and 1992 is examined as these years saw the beginning of the end of the LDP monopoly of Japanese politics and the rise of meaningful political competition. This period saw the rise of two contemporary policy entrepreneurs, Ryutaro Hashimoto and Ichiro Ozawa. The last period (1993--1996) focuses on the role played by these two contemporary actors, and on the advent of multi-party democracy in Japan. The two entrepreneurs have forever changed the course of Japanese politics by supporting the reevaluation of U.S.-Japanese relations and by attempting to strengthen the Japanese executive so that future entrepreneurs may play an even greater role in formulating and enacting bold policies.; Through the testing of theoretical propositions it is hoped that this study will present a possible explanation for the deterioration of U.S.-Japanese relations. If the logic of the explanation for past change is persuasive, future and more important changes may be expected in the years ahead.
展开▼
