Japan’s Border Measures during Covid-19: How the Crisis Shaped ‘Others’ to Protect the ‘Stability of Self’

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted countries to implement a wide range of specific cross-border security measures. The fear and anxiety induced by this crisis have rapidly expanded and contracted countries’ understanding of ‘self’ and ‘other’. This study examines Japan’s shift from liberal pre- Covid-19 border policies to the most stringent border closure measures among the G7 countries during the pandemic. In this study, we argue that the pandemic-induced fear increased anxiety in Japan’s public health safety identity, rapidly reshaping the conceptualization of the ‘self’ and ‘other’ in crisis scenarios. This shift aligns with Japan’s historical narrative of combating unprecedented threats to public health.

Keywords

Ontological Security, Public Health Safety, Human Security, Anxiety, Isolation

Citation

Vuslat Nur Şahin Temel and Zhao Xiru, “Japan’s Border Measures during Covid-19: How the Crisis Shaped ‘Others’ to Protect the ‘Stability of Self’”, Uluslararasi Iliskiler, Vol. 21, No 81, 2024, pp. 61-75, DOI:10.33458/uidergisi.1434336

Affiliations

Vuslat Nur ŞAHİN TEMEL Lecturer, Asian Studies Department, Social Sciences University of Ankara, Ankara E-Mail: [email protected] Orcid: 0000-0001-6794-6579

Zhao XIRU PhD Candidate, Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies, Waseda University, Tokyo E-Mail: [email protected] Orcid: 0000-0002-1976-2115