What kind of a Role does Public Opinion play in Formulating Japanese Security Policy since Koizumi era?

How effective leader can exercise his/her leadership depends on the support of people. The best indicator of the support of people is public opinion of the nation. This paper examines the relations between effectiveness of leadership and the support of public opinion and its impact on foreign policy in Japan since Koizumi administration. During Koizumi era, how did he utilize the support of public opinion when he formulated Japan's foreign policy after 911? Succeeding to Koizumi, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is now moving toward the revision of Article 9 of the Constitution to allow Japan to impair the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense. Can he successfully revise the Constitution? Can he utilize the support of the public opinion like his predecessor? How does Abe’s policy sextant influence Japan's foreign policy? What kind of impact does his policy have on Asian countries and U.S.-Japan alliance? Having these questions in mind, this paper compares and analyzes leadership, foreign policy and public opinion in Japan between Koizumi and Abe administrations ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]