Protests Against U.S. Military Base Policy in Asia: Persuasion and Its Limits

By: Yuko Kawato

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Synopsis: Since the end of World War II, protests against U. S. military basing and related policies have occurred in several Asian host countries that are key U. S. allies. These protests are a matter of considerable concern to the United States as it attempts to project power across a world in which its basing policies remain highly contentious. Many episodes of contention raise important questions about the extent to which protests have and will influence policy regarding U. S. military bases in Asia. Protests Against U. S. Military Base Policy in Asia answers these questions by examining state response to twelve major protests in Asia since the end of World War II-in the Philippines, Okinawa, and South Korea. Yuko Kawato lays out the conditions under which protesters' normative arguments can and cannot persuade policy-makers to change base policy, and how protests can still generate some political or military incentives for policy-makers to adjust policy when persuasion fails. Kawato also shows that when policy-makers decide not to change policy, they can offer symbolic concessions to appear norm-abiding and to secure a smoother implementation of policies that protesters oppose. While the findings will be of considerable interest to academics and students, perhaps their largest impact will be on policy makers and activists, for whom Kawato offers recommendations for improving their decision-making and actions.