Berger in The Diplomat: Japan’s Military Resurgence
Thomas Berger, Professor of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, said that the resurgence of military ambition in Japan is a complex topic among Japanese citizens.
Berger made his argument in a September 18 article in The Diplomat entitled “Japan’s Improbable Military Resurgence.”
From the text of the article:
In the same poll, 92 percent of those surveyed had a “positive impression” of the SDF, but a positive impression does not mean support or approval. According to Thomas Berger, a professor of international relations at Boston University, “Japan’s best and brightest do not flock to join the armed forces, and the SDF is hardly celebrated in Japanese society.” Indeed, according to the same 2015 public opinion poll, less than half of people questioned thought that being a soldier was a respectable occupation, and only 25.4 percent perceived the job to be a challenging one.
As Berger explained to me, “Internal [SDF] surveys showed that the majority joined the forces because they hoped for material betterment. It is a safe, reliable job, and the legal status is the same as being a post office clerk.”
You can read the entire article here.
Berger is the author of War, Guilt and World Politics After World War II, Cultures of Antimilitarism: National Security in Germany and Japan and is co-editor of Japan in International Politics: Beyond the Reactive State. His articles and essays have appeared in numerous edited volumes and journals, including International Security, Review of International Studies, German Politics and World Affairs Quarterly. Learn more about him here.