1) The document discusses the historical development of Japan's international relations from the late 19th century onward under different world orders. 2) Japan shifted from being a subordinate tributary under China's world order to an isolationist power, then a colonial power and imperialist military power aligned with the UK. 3) After World War 2, Japan aligned with the US during the Cold War and pursued economic growth, and now engages in bilateral, regional, and multilateral relations as a major independent power.

1. Last Week: Significance of Japan’s
International Relations
• Metaphors help shape our view of Japan in the
World
• Japan matters in politics, economics and security,
regional and global levels
• Japan is significant actor, especially in relationship
with the US and East Asia

2. Unit 2
Pattern of Japan’s
International Relations:
Historical Development
Professor Glenn Hook

3. Aim
• To discuss the historical development of
Japan’s international relations from the
Chinese world order to the post-Cold
War world

4. Objectives
1) to identify empirically the pattern of Japan’s international
relations from the late nineteenth century onwards;
2) to discuss why Japan has adopted the specific pattern of
international relations identified;
3) to illustrate the constraints as well as opportunities for
Japan as a late-comer to the Western-dominated
international system.

5. Militarism  economism  a potential
revival?

6. Historical Overview
• Japan as a tributary of China under the T’ang
dynasty, AD 618-906 (Chinese world order)
• Sakoku-jidai Tokugawa era (1600-1868)
• Rising industrial power - victory in Russo-
Japanese War, 1904-5 (Imperial world order)
• Militarism and colonialism (World War II)
• Anti-militarism and bilateralism post-1945
(Cold War order)
• Normalization, multilateralism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjPsRaqZIN8

7. Patterns of Japan’s international
relations: Chinese world order;
• Japan as a subordinate tributary power
• Japan as an isolationist rival state
• Japan as a colonial power

9. Imperial world order
• Advance of imperial power into East Asia
• Acquisition of economic and military power
during the Meiji era
• Datsua nyūō (abandonment of Asia joining
with Europe) – Anglo-Japanese Alliance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoW2WYdOsvg

10. Fukuzawa Yukichi
1835-1901

11. Cold War order
• Alignment with the United States
• Restive relations with communist powers
• Separation of economics and politics
(Yoshida doctrine, seikei bunri)

12. Prime Minister Yoshida
Shigeru signing the US-
Japan Security Treaty in
San Francisco, 1951

13. Post-Cold War period
• Bilateral, regional and global hedging
• Continued prioritization of bilateralism
• Growing independence and proactivity?

14. The ‘Ron-Yasu’ US-Japan special relationship was emulated by Bush and Koizumi
Ronald Reagan and Yasuhiro Nakasone - Junichirō Koizumi and George W. Bush Jr.

15. Historical patterns of Japan’s
international relations (summary)
• Dependence upon/gravitation towards major
power or hegemon of the day (China, UK, US)
• Rational international strategy: unilateral
hegemony, East Asian region-building,
trilateral and multilateral cooperation
• Reactive and proactive moves

16. Methodology: Why has Japan
adopted the specific pattern of
international relations identified?
• Structural constraints of the international
system of the time.
• Agency of powerful leaders and policy makers
• Strategies guided by a range of domestic and
international norms

17. Japan as a late-comer to the Western
dominated international system
• Constraints:
Unequal treatment by Western powers, rejection of
Japanese proposal at League of Nations, tied to US during
Cold War (constraining ties with communist states)
• Opportunities:
Learned from Western starter states how to modernize,
chance to challenge established powers by forming an
alliance with Nazi Germany, used periods of increased
multipolarity to forge relations with communist states

18. History
Time
In progression: The hegemons followed by Japan
(China, UK, USA)

19. Conclusion
• Japan’s international relations charted in
relation to rise and fall of great powers
• Challenger, but ultimately sought support of
major power of the day (China, UK, US)
• Within the bounds of constraints and
opportunities dictated by the international
system, Japan instrumentalised its foreign
relations to catch up with the West.