Author: Yoshihide Soeya, Keio University

Many thought after the end of the Cold War that the time of traditional balance-of-power games was over.

Japan, too, attempted to re-establish its international presence by responding to the new trend of multilateral cooperation, and sought to help build a new international order in Asia and the world. Read more…

Author: Yoshihide Soeya, Keio University

Since the end of the Cold War, the most important strategic relationship in East Asia has been and will continue to be the one between the United States and China. Given this profound reality, Japan is obviously a lesser strategic player, and it is a fundamental mistake, both analytically and policy-wise, to treat Japan as one of the four great powers (including Russia) in Northeast Asia.

Looking from this perspective, one would also realise the fundamental differences between Japan’s and China’s perspectives on evolving regionalism in East Asia, including the concept of an East Asian Community. Read more…

Author: Yoshihide Soeya, Keio University

The victory of the Democratic Party of Japan in the House of Representatives election held on August 30 was an epoch-making event in the history of Japan‘s postwar democracy. The two-party system has actually started to work, giving the Japanese people the option of changing government through elections.

Though the Liberal Democratic Party rule had been fraught with problems, the Japanese people had not placed enough confidence in the opposition parties to give them a chance to govern. The historic shift was apparently Read more…