Vietnam and the Philippines : contrasting responses to Japan's defense normalization

Since Shinzo Abe's second term as Prime Minister began in 2012, Japan has taken on a decidedly more muscular foreign policy direction. This includes controversial reinterpretations of Japan's pacifist constitution, and increased security engagement with the countries of Southeast Asia, in particular, Vietnam and the Philippines. There has been a convergence of views among policymakers in Tokyo, Hanoi, and Manila regarding the threat posed by China's military rise and increased assertiveness in the maritime disputes of the East and South China Seas. However, reactions from Vietnam and the Philippines have differed: the Vietnamese response has been a muted acceptance, while the Philippines has openly embraced a greater Japanese role in regional security. This paper seeks to answer why, despite facing similar tensions with China over disputes in the South China Sea, have Vietnam and the Philippines adopted contrasting responses to Japan's defense normalization efforts and efforts to playa greater role in Southeast Asian security issues.Master of Science (Strategic Studies