Japanese Conservative Views on Foreign Policy The Defensive Nature of Japan's Wars

The issue of the interpretations of Japan's wars is not totally a matter of the past; it is related to the present. Conservatives firmly believe that China uses the issue of history to divide Japanese public opinions so that Japan cannot adopt more active foreign and defence policy. Due to the negative interpretations of Japan's war, Japan still does not admit her state right of collective self-defence. Without it she cannot participate in any military operations under the aegis of the United Nation or an international coalition such as the 2003 Iraqi War. This book discusses Japanese conservative views on foreign policy.