Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have been two of the most
critical pillars of peace, stability, and prosperity in the
Asia-Pacific region for the past thirty years. At the same time,
their relationship has fluctuated markedly and unpredictably.
Despite the existence of a common ally in the United States and
common security threats from the former Soviet Union, China, and
North Korea, bilateral relations between Japan and South Korea have
been persistently marred by friction.
In the first in-depth study of this puzzling relationship in
over fifteen years, the author compares the commonly accepted
explanation for this relationship -- historical enmity -- with one
that focuses on policies of the United States as the key driver of
Japan-ROK relations. He finds that while history and emotion
certainly affect the ways in which Japanese and Koreans regard each
other, cooperation and dissension in the relationship are better
understood through what he calls a "quasi-alliance" model: two
states that remain unallied but have a third party as a common
ally.
This model finds that the "normal" state of Japan-ROK relations
is characterized by friction that stems not only from history, but
also from fundamental asymmetries in Japanese and Korean
expectations of support from each other. The author shows, however,
that in periods when the American defense commitment to the region
is weak, Japan-ROK relations exhibit significantly less contention
over bilateral issues. Without the prop of U.S. assistance, the two
countries are seemingly willing to overlook the usual causes of
friction and to adopt a more pragmatic approach. The author
discusses the effects of democratization and the post-ColdWar era
on the triangular relationship, and addresses the prospects of a
united Korea and its future relations with Japan, the United
States, and China.
The book covers the period from 1965 to 1998 and draws on
recently declassified U.S. documents, internal Korean government
documents, and interviews with former policy makers in the United
States, Japan, and Korea.
General
Imprint: |
Stanford University Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Studies of the East Asian Institute, Columbia University |
Release date: |
June 1999 |
First published: |
May 1999 |
Authors: |
Victor D. Cha
|
Dimensions: |
238 x 163 x 30mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
392 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8047-3191-1 |
Categories: |
Books >
Social sciences >
Politics & government >
International relations >
General
|
LSN: |
0-8047-3191-8 |
Barcode: |
9780804731911 |
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