The Diplomatic History of Postwar Japan

Winner of the prestigious Yoshida Shigeru Prize 1999 for the best book in public history, this book presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of Japan’s international relations from the end of the Pacific War to the present.Written by leading Japanese authorities on the subject, it makes extensive use of the most recently declassified Japanese documents, memoirs, and diaries.It introduces the personalities and approaches Japan’s postwar leaders and statesmen took in dealing with a rapidly changing world and the challenges they faced.Importantly, the book also discusses the evolution of Japan’s presence on the international stage and the important - if underappreciated role - Japan has played.The book examines the many issues which Japan has had to confront in this important period: from the occupation authorities in the latter half 1940s, to the crisis-filled 1970s; from the post-Cold War decade to the contemporary war on terrorism.The book examines the effect of the changing in