Boštjan Bertalanič - Japan’s new security policy

Описание: Rethinking Japan’s Security in an Era of Demographic Change, Boštjan Bertalanič, PhD (Josai University, Japan)
The lecture is part of the project 10th Anniversary of Japanese Studies: Lecture Series @ Pula, organized with the financial support of the Japan Foundation.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Japanese Studies program at Juraj Dobrila University in Pula, the project aims to mark this event by organizing a series of hybrid (live and online) lectures by internationally recognized scholars from Japan and Europe. A wide range of topics related to Japanese culture, society, history, literature, language, media, and politics are offered. All lectures will be recorded, archived, and made available to the public via an online platform, ensuring wide availability and long-term usability of the educational content.
Abstract
As Japan navigates the pivotal political landscape of early 2026—marked by the Takaichi administration’s snap election and renewed alliance commitments—the nation stands at a strategic crossroads. While Tokyo pursues an agenda of "Strategic Autonomy" and expanded defense capabilities, these dynamic ambitions must be reconciled with a fixed structural reality: the deepening impact of demographic change on national power.
This lecture analyzes the widening gap between Japan’s strategic goals and its societal constraints. Moving beyond alarmist headlines, we will examine the "amorphization" of the social structures that traditionally supported the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and the structural causes behind the current recruitment crisis.
Crucially, the talk will explore the difficult policy dilemmas designed to bridge this gap. As decision-makers weigh the revitalization of human resources against a potential "technological offset"—leveraging Japan’s semiconductor revival (Rapidus, TSMC) and autonomous systems—we must ask: Is a high-tech defense posture a viable solution? We will evaluate these options against the backdrop of recent bond market volatility and economic pressure, discussing whether Japan can successfully re-engineer its security architecture in an era of fiscal and social limits.
Presentation link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JsEY...