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Was postwar Japan truly peaceful for 80 years? By looking at the Takeshima shooting incidents, North Korea’s abductions, and domestic terrorism such as the Tokyo subway sarin attack, this article explores Japan’s “peace” through the framework of negative peace and positive peace.


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Table of Contents

1. Rethinking the Meaning of “80 Years of Peace” in Japan


2. Negative Peace and Positive Peace in Peace Studies


3. Japan’s Postwar Security Framework: Article 9, the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and the Self-Defense Forces


4. Takeshima, the Syngman Rhee Line, and the Shooting of Japanese Fishermen


5. The North Korean Abductions: An Ongoing Violation of Peace


6. Domestic Violence and Terror: From the Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack to Hijackings


7. When “Everyday Peace” Was Shattered Despite the Absence of War


8. Human Security: A New Measurement of Peace


9. Proposals for the Next 80 Years: Diplomacy, Maritime Safety, and Counter-Terrorism


10. Empathy and Memory: How We Speak About Peace


11. Conclusion: Peace as Both Pride and Responsibility




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1. Rethinking the Meaning of “80 Years of Peace” in Japan

Every August 15, Japanese media repeats the phrase: “Japan has preserved 80 years of peace since WWII.”
It is true that Japan has not been involved in a major interstate war. But does that alone define peace?

Fishermen were shot near Takeshima. Citizens were abducted by North Korea. Domestic terrorism shook everyday life. These were not wars, but they were forms of violence that destroyed people’s lives.

Thus, “peace” should not be reduced to the mere absence of war.


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2. Negative Peace and Positive Peace in Peace Studies

Norwegian peace scholar Johan Galtung distinguished between two types of peace:

Negative peace: the absence of direct violence or war.

Positive peace: the absence of structural violence, and the presence of justice and secure living conditions.


Japan succeeded in maintaining negative peace, but positive peace remains fragile. For abductees’ families or victims of terrorism, “80 years of peace” is an empty phrase.


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3. Japan’s Postwar Security Framework: Article 9, the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and the Self-Defense Forces

Article 9 of the Constitution

Japan renounced war and the maintenance of “war potential.” Yet successive governments interpreted self-defense as constitutional, leading to the establishment of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF).

The U.S.-Japan Security Treaty

Revised in 1960, this treaty provided a framework for American military presence in Japan, ensuring deterrence but also creating social burdens, especially in Okinawa.

The Self-Defense Forces

Founded in 1954, the SDF has grown into a highly capable military organization, also engaging in disaster relief and international peacekeeping. However, its constitutional status remains contested.


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4. Takeshima, the Syngman Rhee Line, and the Shooting of Japanese Fishermen

In 1952, South Korea unilaterally declared the Syngman Rhee Line, which included the disputed Takeshima (Dokdo) islets.
Japanese fishermen were frequently shot at or captured.

Historical records show: 328 vessels seized, 3,929 fishermen detained, and 44 killed or injured.

These were not wars, but for the families of fishermen, the sea turned into a battlefield.
Their suffering is rarely mentioned in Japan’s “peace” narratives.


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5. The North Korean Abductions: An Ongoing Violation of Peace

During the 1970s and 1980s, North Korea abducted Japanese citizens.
The Japanese government has officially recognized 17 abductees, but there are hundreds of unresolved missing persons.

Abduction is not war, but it is state-sponsored violence and a violation of sovereignty.
Even in 2025, the problem remains unresolved—undermining the notion of “80 years of peace.”


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6. Domestic Violence and Terror: From the Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack to Hijackings

The Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack (1995)

Aum Shinrikyo carried out a chemical weapons attack, killing and injuring thousands. Survivors still suffer from long-term health issues.

The Yodogō Hijacking (1970)

Carried out by the Red Army Faction, this incident symbolized the intersection of domestic radicalism and international terrorism.

These were not wars, but they destroyed public trust in everyday safety, revealing the blind spots of Japanese peace.


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7. When “Everyday Peace” Was Shattered Despite the Absence of War

Peace is often measured by whether a country is at war. But everyday peace depends on whether people’s dignity, safety, and livelihoods are protected.

For fishermen’s families, abductees’ parents, and sarin survivors, peace was broken in their daily lives, even if the nation was technically at peace.


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8. Human Security: A New Measurement of Peace

The United Nations’ concept of human security shifts the focus from state security to individual security.

It includes:

Freedom from violence (physical safety)

Freedom from want (economic and social security)

Freedom from fear (psychological safety)


For Japan to be truly peaceful, it must commit to human security for all its citizens.


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9. Proposals for the Next 80 Years: Diplomacy, Maritime Safety, and Counter-Terrorism

1. Strengthen Maritime Security

Enhance surveillance, document incidents for international law, and expand support systems for fishermen.



2. Resolve the Abduction Issue

Combine diplomacy, sanctions, and international pressure, while providing comprehensive support to aging families.



3. Prevent Domestic Terrorism

Increase transparency of religious corporations and strengthen countermeasures against chemical and biological threats.





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10. Empathy and Memory: How We Speak About Peace

When we speak about peace, we must include the voices of victims.
Peace is not only about the absence of war—it is about remembering those who suffered violence in “peacetime.”

To honor both history and humanity, peace must be told with empathy.


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11. Conclusion: Peace as Both Pride and Responsibility

Yes, Japan has avoided war for 80 years.
But violence still scarred lives during this period.

Thus, peace should be seen as both:

Pride: for avoiding major war.

Responsibility: for remembering victims and preventing future violence.


Only by holding both truths can Japan hand over an honest legacy of peace to future generations.


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