JAPAN'S INCREASING THREAT PERCEPTION OF CHINA INFLUENCE ITS DECISION TO RE-ENGAGED THE QUADRILATERAL SECURITY DIALOGUE (QUAD) IN 2017

  • Ilmi Dwiastuti President University
  • Stefanny President University

Abstract

The paper addresses the rising concern in Japan over China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region, which has led to increased tensions and security dilemmas. Japan's perception of China as a threat, particularly due to its military expansion and assertive policies, has had a significant impact on its foreign policy decisions. In response to this perceived threat, Japan re-engaged with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a strategic forum comprised of the United States, Australia, India, and Japan, in 2017.  The core issue is understanding how Japan's changing threat perception of China influenced its strategic calculations, resulting in a shift in its security and diplomatic posture. This issue is critical for understanding Japan's foreign policy dynamics and the broader implications for regional security in the Indo-Pacific. The paper investigates Japan's re-engagement with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) in 2017, in response to its growing concern about China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. This decision can be examined through the lens of the strategic environment, which refers to external factors and conditions that influence a country's security policies and strategies. This study esmploys a qualitative methodological approach. This study seeks to demonstrate that Japan's perception of China as a threat grew between 2014 and 2016. The change in Japan's strategic environment, z≈      zcharacterized by China's military expansion and assertive actions, forced Japan to reconsider its security policies. This decision emphasizes the strategic environment's criti,ccal role in shaping national security strategies, as well as how states respond to perceivved threats in order to maintain regional stability.

Keywords: Japan, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), China, Threat Perception, Strategic Environment, Security Strategy, and Indo-Pacific

Published
2025-01-02