Realist Concerns or Economic Interdependence? Japanese Citizens' Policy Preferences Toward China in the Issue of the Senkaku Islands

Recently, the tension between Japan and China is quickly escalating. One of the critical sources of conflict is the territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands. The goal of this study is to examine how Japanese citizens develop policy preferences toward China in the issue of the Senkaku Islands. Regarding this matter, it is possible to suggest two scenarios. First, realist concerns among Japanese citizens will boost support for a hawkish approach against China as defending territories is one of the most important concerns for states in the international system. The second scenario prescribes that economic interdependence between Japan and China will undermine the support for a firm approach against China. This perspective is based on the idea that economic interdependence prevents states from going to war with each other. The present research examines the validity of these two competing hypotheses. Statistical analysis relying on the survey data from Japan lends support to the realist perspective. Dissecting the process through which Japanese citizens develop their policy preferences toward China, this study makes an important contribution to the literature of international relations, thus generating critical implications that are highly useful in the real world.