This chapter examines the transformation of Japanese prime ministerial oratory in foreign and international affairs from the postwar period to the recent period (1946–2020). Through a discourse analysis of 265 speeches by seven key leaders—Yoshida Shigeru, Kishi Nobusuke, Satô Eisaku, Tanaka Kakuei, Nakasone Yasuhiro, Koizumi Junichirô, and Abe Shinzô—it explores how oratory has been instrumentalized for nation (re)branding, geopolitical positioning, and identity negotiation. The analysis focuses on two interrelated rhetorical strategies: the articulation of Japan’s national character and values and the delineation of allies and adversaries. It finds that Japanese leaders have consistently drawn on ethos- and pathos-driven appeals to reframe Japan’s postwar identity in relation to foreign policy stances and the broader international order. Although each prime minister adopted a distinct and nuanced rhetorical style, particularly in terms of their reliance on morally infused and/or affective, personalized accounts, they shared common concerns with historical re-narration, the pursuit of international legitimacy through the external gaze, and the navigation of complex ideological alignments through speech.