08s-02
JAPAN’S RELATIONS WITH ASIAN COUNTRIES AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Kenichi NISHIMURA (International Student Center)

Objective
  This class discusses the development of Japanese relations with Asian countries after the Second World War. As one of the Asian countries, Japan has been keeping close contact with other Asian countries. However, its relationship with them had not always been friendly. The factors that affect Japanese relationship with its fellow Asian countries are historical, economic and political. We will explore how Japan reopened its diplomatic relations with Asian countries, the character of that relations and how that character has been evolving. We will discuss mainly on the diplomatic relations, but the scope of discussion won’t be limited on that sphere.

Lecture Outline
  Topics which will be discussed in this class are as follows;
   1. Defeat and War Reparation
   2. Korean War and its impact on the relationship between Japan and Asia
   3. Sigeru Yoshida and the “Yoshida Doctrine”
   4. Origin of Japanese ODA and its Development
   5. The Korea-Japan treaty
   6. Normalization of relations between Japan and China
   7. ASEAN countries and Japan
   8. Historical Issues
   9. Is the East Asian Community possible?

Field Trip
  Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan University

Textbook
  There will be no assigned textbook. Handouts will be distributed in each class.

Grading
  Class attendance: 50%
  Written examination: 50%