The Pacific Review, Shimane Prefecture, Tokyo and the territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima: regional and national identities in Japan - Alexander Bush (2014) - How does the local government of Shimane Prefecture influence Japan's national identity and territorial disputes, particularly regarding Takeshima, and what does this reveal about the relationship between regional actions and national identity formation?

Extract

[...] Next, the document definitely offered me deeper insight and understanding on the Takeshima/Dokdo territorial dispute, reframing it as more than a geopolitical issue between Japan and South Korea. It showed how identity is contested not only between states but also within them, as seen in Shimane's transformation from a local to a national agent. Shimane's ontological security, rooted in a resistant identity toward Tokyo's inaction, is now collapsing because Tokyo is changing its policies and stance on the issue, reappropriating Shimane's identity for its own interests. [...]

[...] Thus, the author aims to demonstrate how local identities and activism can influence and be incorporated into broader national identity constructions. Ontological security can exist at both national and local levels, with local actors playing a significant role in shaping national identity. What really stood out to me was the explanation of why Tokyo suddenly became more invested in the Takeshima dispute. According to the author, this change wasn't really linked to the ordinance (which Tokyo opposed) but to shifts in Japan-Korea relations that questioned Japan's ontological security. [...]

[...] The second part of the text then explains how Shimane's actions affected Japan's national identity. Indeed, post-2005, Tokyo's previously neutral stance shifted as the government took a huge interest in the topic, making it part of their national identity. Then, I'll delve into the main idea of the text, which is, to my mind, the role of the regional prefecture in shaping Japan's national identity and contributing to its ontological security. Initially, Shimane's acted independently to assert their identity of resistance and victimhood, built in opposition to Tokyo's inaction. [...]

[...] Moreover, I really liked the way citizens activism played a huge role in Shimane prefecture's actions. This further shows how identities can be shaped by non-state actors. In conclusion, Alexander Bush's text gave me a really interesting perspective on the Takeshima/Dokdo dispute by putting forward the role of Shimane Prefecture in shaping Japan's national identity and ontological security. The document really highlights how local activism and identities can influence national narratives, and, through this idea, it indirectly aims at making us question traditional IR theories that often ignore regional and non-state actors. [...]

[...] The Pacific Review, Shimane Prefecture, Tokyo and the territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima: regional and national identities in Japan - Alexander Bush (2014) - How does the local government of Shimane Prefecture influence Japan's national identity and territorial disputes, particularly regarding Takeshima, and what does this reveal about the relationship between regional actions and national identity formation? For this reflection paper, I have decided to focus on the text "Shimane prefecture, Tokyo and the territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima: regional and national identities in Japan", written by Alexander Bush. [...]