The China Problem in Postwar Japan: Japanese National Identity and Sino-Japanese Relations(SOAS Studies in Modern and Contemporary Japan)

The 1970s were a period of dramatic change in relations between Japan and the People's Republic of China (PRC). The two countries established diplomatic relations for the first time, forged close economic ties and reached political agreements that still guide and constrain relations today. This book delivers a history of this foundational period in Sino-Japanese relations. It presents an up-to-date diplomatic history of the relationship but also goes beyond this to argue that Japan's relations with China must be understood in the context of a larger “China problem” that was inseparable from a domestic contest to define Japanese national identity. The China Problem in Postwar Japan challenges some common assertions or assumptions about the role of Japanese national identity in postwar Sino-Japanese relations, showing how the history of Japanese relations with China in the 1970s is shaped by the strength of Japanese national identity, not its weakness.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Part I: The China Problem in Postwar Japan 1945-1970 Chapter 1: The China Problem in Postwar Japanese Foreign Policy Chapter 2: The China Problem and Postwar Japanese National Identity Part II: The Nixon Shock and the Normalization of Relations 1971-1972 Chapter 3: The Politics of the Nixon Shock and the Normalization of Relations Chapter 4: The China Problem in a New Era Part III: The Anti-Hegemony Issue 1973-1976 Chapter 5: The Anti-Hegemony Issue: Japan and the Sino-Soviet Cold War Chapter 6: The China Problem in a Time of Crisis and Adaptation Part IV: From the Peace Treaty to Economic Cooperation 1977-1979 Chapter 7: The Diplomacy of Peace and Cooperation Chapter 8: Conservative Triumphalism and the China Problem Epilogue: Toward the “History Problem” Conclusion Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Robert Hoppens is Assistant Professor in the Department of History & Philosophy at the University of Texas Pan-American, USA.

Review :
How China and Japan have regarded one another since 1945 has led to the expenditure of much ink, but the search for the right words to make sense of it all remains incomplete. As arguably the most important bilateral tie in East Asia-between the world's second and third largest economies, and two mighty militaries-an explanation is as desirable as it is necessary. Hoppens goes a long way toward that end with this book, especially in assessing the decade of the 1970s and addressing the ramifications of cataclysmic defeat on Japan's postwar national identity. He takes beyond Sino-Japanese diplomatic normalization, even touching on the debates over "history" that occupied many a mind in the early 1980s. For those interested or concerned with the China-Japan relationship, this book deserves our cogitation. Joshua A. Fogel, Canada Research Chair and Editor, Sino-Japanese Studies, York University, Canada The China Problem in Postwar Japan is a fresh and ambitious new look at the complexities of the relationship that postwar Japan has pursued with its giant neighbor, China. Linked by geographic proximity as well as a shared history, Japan's leaders have always faced the challenge of adroitly maneuvering a foreign policy with China that would maximize Japan's national interests while also balancing domestic concerns (trade and national security) and its alliance with the United States. Utilizing a trove of archival material from Japan, China, and the US, Hoppens does a fine job of illuminating both the success and failures of Japan's quest in dealing with this so-called "China problem." This is a must read for not only those interested in postwar Sino-Japanese relations, but also for policy-makers who need to garner further insight into what kind of future awaits East Asia with a bolder and more confident China and a wary Japan that is increasingly leaning towards a more proactive security policy. Tosh Minohara, Professor of Japanese Diplomacy, Kobe University, Japan