Evolution of Security Studies in International Relations in the Japanese Universities.

The focus of International Relations in the Japanese universities? classrooms has definitely shifted to the Realist paradigm recently. The shift is reinforced by the current international situations. For example, the strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance, the rise of China in Asia, and the rise of Japan?s nationalism, seem to be pushing the Realist paradigm over the others in the classrooms. In retrospect, the shift of focus to the Realist paradigm also took place in International Relations in the Japanese universities? classrooms in the early 1980?s. The shift in the 1980?s seemed to have occurred with the Soviet Unions? military buildup in Northeast Asia. However, the shift did not stick after the Cold War ended. Today?s shift seems to be evolved by the incident on September 11, 2001 and its aftermath. Does this shift stick and make the Realist paradigm the core of International Relations curriculum in the Japanese universities? By comparing these two shifts of focus to the Realist paradigm took placed in the Japanese universities? International Relations, this paper tries to explore the recent shift and its impact on Japan?s International Relations education and Japan?s foreign policy making in the future. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]