Course description
ODA in Japan was No.1 in the 1990s, but it is going down to No.5 since the 9.11 incident in the USA. The Japanese government focuses on peacebuilding after it revised the ODA policy in 2003 according to financial pressure. Japanese policy toward peacebuilding, in a sense, depends on the United Nations. For example, Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution becomes an important condition when we send Self-defense forces abroad. In the first half of this lecture, we will discuss the relationship between Japan and the UN regarding the role of Japanese peacebuilding toward world peace. And we understand the common and different features between Asian and Western peacebuilding.
And in the second half of this lecture, I will point out Japanese peacebuilding policy focusing on Asian conflicts because Asia's security is very important for Japan as well as Asian region. As a matter of fact, there are several conflicts in Asia such as the Southern areas in Thailand, Mindanao in the Philippines, Papua in Indonesia, ethnicity issues in China and India, and so on. We will discuss the Japanese policies on Asian conflicts in terms of peacebuilding.
The specifics of this lecture include the following topics. First of all, we understand the general meaning of peacebuilding. And then we have the topic of “the UN documents regarding Peacebuilding.” The term of “Peacebuilding” is used by Johan Galtung in 1976, but the international community became known it since the document of “An Agenda for Peace” in 1992. At the same time, the UN submitted the document of “An Agenda for Development.” Development is strongly related to conflict.
　　And we’ll continue to discuss topics such as “Democratization and Governance,” “Reconciliation,” “DDR: Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration,” “Post-Conflict Development,” “The Role of Japanese Government and Civil Society Organization,” and “What is the cooperation between Japan and UN.” The UN tries to realize the liberal democracy based on Western system generally.
As for the Asian policies, we’ll discuss topics such as “The Conflict situations in Asia and the Role of Japan,” “History of Conflict and Wars in East Asia,” “History of Conflicts and Wars in Southeast Asia,” “The Relations between Japanese ODA and Peacebuilding,” “The Activities of International NGOs toward Peacebuilding,” “The Challenge of Japanese NGOs toward Peacebuilding,” “What was the NGO activities after the 9.11 incidents,” “The Challenges of Japanese-Style Emergency Humanitarian Assistance,” “The Case-study of Assistance toward Timor-Leste,” “The Case-study of Assistance toward Mindanao Conflict in the Philippines,” and finally “Discussions regarding Asian Conflicts and Peacebuilding.”

＊The class will consist of a one-hour lecture, followed by a 30-minute group discussion. In the second half of the lecture, students are expected to give individual presentations related to the lecture.

Learning outcomes of the course
First of all, I would like students to understand the peacebuilding policy related to the UN. Secondly, what is the meaning of peacebuilding if you compare it with other peace activities like preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peacekeeping? Finally, are there what kind of influences from the UN toward Japan?
Students will gain an understanding of Japanese peacebuilding policy, strategies, and roles toward Asian conflicts. And finally, what is the common and different figures in comparison to other countries, such as the US and China.

Teaching and evaluation methods
Evaluation: Participation in each class (20%), Group presentations and Individual Presentation (50%), final report (30%)

Bibliography
Hiromi Nagata Fujishige, Yuji Uesugi, and Tomoaki Honda, Japan’s Peacekeeping at a Crossroads: Taking a Robust Stance or Remaining Hesitant? Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. (e-Book)
Mitsuru Yamada & Miki Honda eds., Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Response, Union Press, 2018. (e-Book)
Lam Peng Er, Japan’s Peace-building Diplomacy in Asia: Seeking a more active political role, Routledge, 2009.

Last updated: February 29, 2024