Kore Savaşı’nın Japonya’nın Geleceği Üzerindeki “Yaşam İksiri” Etkisi
The “Elixir” Impact of the Korean War on the Future of Japan

Summary/Abstract: Korea was a major battleground during the Cold War. Korean War represented a remarkable change in Asian politics of two superpowers (US and USSR) whose vital interests were not at stake in Asia. Moreover, the Korean War transformed Asia into the most important non-European area of the international system during the Cold War. After defeat of Japan in WWII, the US invaded Japan and reserved its right to determine the future of this country. The initial policy of the US in the first years of Japan’s invasion was the disarmament of this country and the evacuation of American forces from the country by insuring Japan would not become a menace again to family of peaceful and responsible nations of the world and to the US. However, Communist victory in China and the Korean War brought a “reverse discourse” in American occupation policy for Japan. Japan’s role during the Korean War and Tokyo’s active and passive support to the US and her allies turned Japan an ally to be won in the eyes of the US. The war revealed the strategic importance of Japan and sowed the seeds of the US-Japanese alliance, which has been at the center of the US security architecture called “hub and spoke” in East Asia. This study aims to analyze that the Korean War was a turning point for the US East Asian policy and therefore for the future of Japan.

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