Bringing together the work of sixteen international Japan specialists and scholars, this book analyzes Japan's culture and history to reflect on the critical policy decisions and national commitments required for the country to continue to succeed. Comparing the current situation with the uncertainties of the late nineteenth century, this book investigates the possibility and desirability of a "New Meiji Transformation" in Japan. Set in the context of perceived demographic, ecological, fiscal and political decline in Japan, it explores what a New Meiji initiative would look like in the twenty-first century and whether a new era of renewal is needed to maintain and improve quality of life. An interdisciplinary volume, this book covers contemporary issues in Japanese foreign, defense and nuclear strategies, as well as its aging population, higher education structure and environmental policies. As such Japan's Future and a New Meiji Transformation will be of great interest to students and scholars of Japanese politics, economics and history, as well as Asian Studies more generally.

In September 1951, Japan signed a peace treaty with forty-eight countries in San Francisco; in April 1952, the treaty came into effect. The San Francisco Peace Treaty is an international agreement that in significant ways shaped the post-World War II international order in the Asia-Pacific. With its associated security arrangements, it laid the foundation for the regional structure of Cold War confrontation: the "San Francisco System" fully reflected the strategic interests and policy priorities of the peace conference's host nation, the United States. The treaty fell far short of settling outstanding issues in the wake of the Pacific War or facilitating a clean start for the "post-war" period. Rather, critical aspects of the settlement were left equivocal, and continue to have significant and worrisome implications for regional international relations. This book examines the key developments of the contentious political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific that share a common foundation in the post-war disposition of Japan, particularly the San Francisco Peace Treaty. These include both tangible and intangible issues, such as disputes over territories and "history" problems. Taking the San Francisco System as its conceptual grounding, the authors examine how these issues developed and have remained contentious long after the San Francisco arrangements. To provide bases for producing solutions, the chapters offer comprehensive accounts that explain and deepen our understanding of these complex regional issues and the San Francisco System as a whole. By closely and systematically examining the legacy and various ramifications of the San Francisco System, this fascinating book adds to our understanding of current and growing tensions in the region. As such, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Asian studies, history, international relations and politics.

This volume is the fruit of an international collaborative study, which considers the Aland islands settlement in northern Europe as a resolution model for the major Asia-Pacific regional conflicts that derived from the post-World War II disposition of Japan, with particular focus on the territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, the Northern Territories/Southern Kuriles problem. The contributors provide analysis of the Aland settlement, the Japan-Russia territorial dispute and Aland-inspired solution ideas by experts from all over the world, including government officials, scholars and military specialists. Northern Territories, Asia-Pacific Regional Conflicts and the Aland Experience will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as academics working in Asian studies, politics, international relations, conflict resolution and security studies.

Crossing disciplinary boundaries, this volume offers a rare forum for a serious analysis of the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands between China and Japan. To understand the complexity of the dispute and to find peaceful solutions, we must reach beyond the confines of a single discipline and perspective. The volume deconstructs conflicting perspectives on the two sides of the dispute. Territorial disputes often become symbolic expressions of nationalistic rivalries, particularly as political claims for territories escalate and economic competition for resources between countries intensifies. Cutting through the political rhetoric on both sides of the controversy and bringing together a group of eight scholars from the disciplines of history, international relations, law, political science, and sociology, this book analyzes the relevant history, international law, multilateral relations, political agendas, and social and collective memory, to shed light on this difficult dispute. Taken together, the chapters of the book propose short-term, medium-term, and long-term peaceful solutions for going beyond the impasse of the current territorial dispute.

In September 1951, Japan signed a peace treaty with forty-eight countries in San Francisco; in April 1952, the treaty came into effect. The San Francisco Peace Treaty is an international agreement that in significant ways shaped the post-World War II international order in the Asia-Pacific. With its associated security arrangements, it laid the foundation for the regional structure of Cold War confrontation: the "San Francisco System" fully reflected the strategic interests and policy priorities of the peace conference's host nation, the United States. The treaty fell far short of settling outstanding issues in the wake of the Pacific War or facilitating a clean start for the "post-war" period. Rather, critical aspects of the settlement were left equivocal, and continue to have significant and worrisome implications for regional international relations. This book examines the key developments of the contentious political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific that share a common foundation in the post-war disposition of Japan, particularly the San Francisco Peace Treaty. These include both tangible and intangible issues, such as disputes over territories and "history" problems. Taking the San Francisco System as its conceptual grounding, the authors examine how these issues developed and have remained contentious long after the San Francisco arrangements. To provide bases for producing solutions, the chapters offer comprehensive accounts that explain and deepen our understanding of these complex regional issues and the San Francisco System as a whole. By closely and systematically examining the legacy and various ramifications of the San Francisco System, this fascinating book adds to our understanding of current and growing tensions in the region. As such, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Asian studies, history, international relations and politics.

Bringing together the work of sixteen international Japan specialists and scholars, this book analyzes Japan's culture and history to reflect on the critical policy decisions and national commitments required for the country to continue to succeed. Comparing the current situation with the uncertainties of the late nineteenth century, this book investigates the possibility and desirability of a "New Meiji Transformation" in Japan. Set in the context of perceived demographic, ecological, fiscal and political decline in Japan, it explores what a New Meiji initiative would look like in the twenty-first century and whether a new era of renewal is needed to maintain and improve quality of life. An interdisciplinary volume, this book covers contemporary issues in Japanese foreign, defense and nuclear strategies, as well as its aging population, higher education structure and environmental policies. As such Japan's Future and a New Meiji Transformation will be of great interest to students and scholars of Japanese politics, economics and history, as well as Asian Studies more generally.

After World War II, many regional conflicts emerged in the Asia-Pacific, such as the divided Korean peninsula, the Cross-Taiwan Strait, the 'Northern Territories', (Southern Kuriles) Takeshima (Dokdo), Senkaku (Diaoyu) and the Spratly (Nansha) islands problems. These and other disputes, such as the Okinawa problem in relation to the US military presence in the region, all share an important common foundation in the post-war disposition of Japan, particularly the 1951 Peace Treaty. Signed by forty-nine countries in San Francisco, this multilateral treaty significantly shaped the post-war international order in the region, and with its associated security arrangements, laid the foundation for the regional Cold War structure, the "San Francisco System." This book examines the history and contemporary implications of the "San Francisco System," with particular focus on its frontier problems. Drawing on extensive archival research and in-depth analysis, Kimie Hara uncovers key links between the regional problems in the Asia-Pacific and their underlying association with Japan, and explores the clues for their future resolution within the multilateral context in which they originated. Cold War Frontiers in the Asia-Pacific will appeal to students and scholars interested in international relations of the Asia-Pacific region, diplomatic history and Japanese diplomacy.

This volume is the fruit of an international collaborative study, which considers the Aland islands settlement in northern Europe as a resolution model for the major Asia-Pacific regional conflicts that derived from the post-World War II disposition of Japan, with particular focus on the territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, the Northern Territories/Southern Kuriles problem.

The contributors provide analysis of the Aland settlement, the Japan-Russia territorial dispute and Aland-inspired solution ideas by experts from all over the world, including government officials, scholars and military specialists.

Northern Territories, Asia-Pacific Regional Conflicts and the Aland Experience will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as academics working in Asian studies, politics, international relations, conflict resolution and security studies.

After World War II, many regional conflicts emerged in the Asia-Pacific, such as the divided Korean peninsula, the Cross-Taiwan Strait, the 'Northern Territories', (Southern Kuriles) Takeshima (Dokdo), Senkaku (Diaoyu) and the Spratly (Nansha) islands problems. These and other disputes, such as the Okinawa problem in relation to the US military presence in the region, all share an important common foundation in the post-war disposition of Japan, particularly the 1951 Peace Treaty. Signed by forty-nine countries in San Francisco, this multilateral treaty significantly shaped the post-war international order in the region, and with its associated security arrangements, laid the foundation for the regional Cold War structure, the "San Francisco System."

This book examines the history and contemporary implications of the "San Francisco System," with particular focus on its frontier problems. Drawing on extensive archival research and in-depth analysis, Kimie Hara uncovers key links between the regional problems in the Asia-Pacific and their underlying association with Japan, and explores the clues for their future resolution within the multilateral context in which they originated. "Cold War Frontiers in the Asia-Pacific "will appeal to students and scholars interested in international relations of the Asia-Pacific region, diplomatic history and Japanese diplomacy.

Crossing disciplinary boundaries, this volume offers a rare forum for a serious analysis of the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands between China and Japan. To understand the complexity of the dispute and to find peaceful solutions, we must reach beyond the confines of a single discipline and perspective. The volume deconstructs conflicting perspectives on the two sides of the dispute. Territorial disputes often become symbolic expressions of nationalistic rivalries, particularly as political claims for territories escalate and economic competition for resources between countries intensifies. Cutting through the political rhetoric on both sides of the controversy and bringing together a group of eight scholars from the disciplines of history, international relations, law, political science, and sociology, this book analyzes the relevant history, international law, multilateral relations, political agendas, and social and collective memory, to shed light on this difficult dispute. Taken together, the chapters of the book propose short-term, medium-term, and long-term peaceful solutions for going beyond the impasse of the current territorial dispute.

More than 50 years on from the end of World War II, relations between Japan and Russia have yet to be normalized. The so called Northern Territories dispute has proved to be a major stumbling block in preventing the two countries from formally signing a peace treaty to end the war. In this volume Kimie Hara reviews the territorial dispute and the problems of political rapproachement in terms of foreign policy decision-making between the two countries. She uses four bilateral summits as case studies to explore patterns, changes and tendencies in the decision-making process. They lead her to conclude that much of the Cold War system of relations between the two states still remains in place at the end of the 20th-century.