Treatment of deaths of soldiers and the impact on security policy: The case of selected states in Southeast Asia

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12519
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Eikei University of Hiroshima (2021-2023); Miyazaki International College (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Yasutomi Atsushi 叡啓大学, ソーシャルシステムデザイン学部, 准教授 (50704673)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 殉職 / 兵士 / 軍隊 / 国民支持 / 安全保障 / 東南アジア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Academic articles and book chapters were published on the relationship between treatment of deaths of soldiers, the public acceptance of military casualties, and their impacts on security policies in the selected states in Southeast Asia. The research results and key fieldwork findings were presented and reported in various international conferences, including the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society in the US. Interviews and field data collections were conducted in the targeted countries including Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
With the development of SNS, there has been an increase in demands for accountability from the government and military regarding deaths of soldiers, their families’ demands for improved compensation, the government’s proactive activities to promote public acceptance and understandings of sacrifices of soldiers. These events have caused a considerable impact on shaping the public opinion and security policy in Southeast Asia.

Free Research Field

安全保障論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、アジアではほとんど先行研究の存在しない「軍・社会の関係」を基盤にアジアの政治社会を分析する取り組みである。欧米では、殉職兵士への補償と家族支援への待遇改善などの施策と、軍事活動に対する国民支持の相関関係に関する研究が存在する。しかし日本を含むアジアでは、その政治的・社会的背景から、兵士の死について公に議論することは、学術界においてもきわめて限定的である。本研究は、アジアの文化的、社会的背景に配慮しつつこの「タブー」に挑戦し、理論研究と現地調査を実施することによって、アジアの安全保障の展望を幅広く分析する上で有益である。