Spectral Sovereignty: Haunting and the Politics of Postwar Japan

Soumya Ranjan Gahir

Abstract: This article reconceptualises Japan's postwar sovereignty as inherently spectral, arguing that political agency remains haunted by unresolved legacies of wartime defeat, occupation and empire. Grounded in Derrida's hauntology and memory studies, it advances a novel contribution to international relations theory and practice by revealing how ghosts of the past fundamentally shape contemporary politics. The analysis unfolds across four empirical domains. First, the contested status of Okinawa illustrates how enduring US military occupation and strategic imperatives continue to shadow Japan's autonomy. Second, regional diplomacy is examined through memory disputes, with controversies over Yasukuni Shrine, the 'comfort women', and contested textbooks demonstrating how historical grievances resurface in foreign relations. Third, debates over war remains, including contested heritage and memorials, reveal lingering tensions in national identity and international justice. Fourth, the pacifist Article 9 of Japan's constitution is analysed as an institutional spectre of defeat that persistently shapes security politics. Together, these case studies underscore Japan's unique spectral sovereignty and offer a comparative perspective valuable for other postcolonial and post-conflict states navigating contested histories. This approach highlights the original insight that sovereignty itself can be haunted, and invites broader reflection on the ghosts of history in contemporary politics and international relations more broadly.

Keywords: spectral sovereignty, hauntology, postwar Japan, memory studies, international relations

How to Cite?: Soumya Ranjan Gahir, "Spectral Sovereignty: Haunting and the Politics of Postwar Japan", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1921-1925, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251222230006, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251222230006