Intimate Rivals
Japanese Domestic Politics and a Rising China
Will be published approx. on 1. June 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-0-231-16789-5 (ISBN)
Description
No country feels China's rise more deeply than Japan. Through intricate case studies of visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, conflicts over the boundaries of economic zones in the East China Sea, concerns about food safety, and strategies of island defense, Sheila A. Smith explores the policy issues testing the Japanese government as it tries to navigate its relationship with an advancing China. Smith finds that Japan's interactions with China extend far beyond the negotiations between diplomats and include a broad array of social actors intent on influencing the Sino-Japanese relationship. Some of the tensions complicating Japan's encounters with China, such as those surrounding the Yasukuni Shrine or territorial disputes, have deep roots in the postwar era, and political advocates seeking a stronger Japanese state organize themselves around these causes. Other tensions manifest themselves during the institutional and regulatory reform of maritime boundary and food safety issues. Smith scrutinizes the role of the Japanese government in coping with contention as China's influence grows and Japanese citizens demand more protection.
Underlying the government's efforts is Japan's insecurity about its own capacity for change and its waning status as the leading economy in Asia. For many, China's rise means Japan's decline, and Smith suggests how Japan can maintain its regional and global clout as confidence in its postwar diplomatic and security approach diminishes.
Underlying the government's efforts is Japan's insecurity about its own capacity for change and its waning status as the leading economy in Asia. For many, China's rise means Japan's decline, and Smith suggests how Japan can maintain its regional and global clout as confidence in its postwar diplomatic and security approach diminishes.
Reviews / Votes
Authoritative and comprehensive. In an era of preoccupation with China's rise, scholars and policymakers are paying insufficient attention to the strategic decisions of those on China's periphery-decisions that will determine the nature of power transitions and whether they are peaceful or not. None is more important than China's historic maritime rival in Asia: Japan. -- Michael J. Green, Georgetown University This book by one of America's leading analysts of Japan's foreign relations is essential reading for anyone interested in Sino-Japanese relations and the impact of domestic political forces on foreign policy. -- Thomas J. Christensen, Princeton University In this study, Sheila A. Smith has availed herself of a massive number of documents and interview surveys and has traced concisely and persuasively the course whereby Japan has been compelled toward the reform of its conservative political system and its security arrangements, which were established with a view to maintaining Japan's position as a leader in Asia. This work suggests that the Japanese experience with China might serve as a lesson for other countries, the United States included, and is an essential read for those interested in the reconstitution of the East Asian order in light of the rise of China. -- Ryosei Kokubun, president, National Defense Academy of Japan Beautifully written and saturated with insights, Intimate Rivals is a scholarly and policy-relevant study of one of the most complex relationships in international relations today. -- Victor D. Cha, Georgetown University, and former director for Asian affairs, National Security Council This well-informed study explains, with admirable clarity, the increasingly involved and complex attitudes in Japanese domestic politics regarding China... A fine-grained analysis...Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly Intimate Rivals gives needed context to Japan and China's volatile relationship. Japan Times A strong academic work that's accessible to the lay person... This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Sino-Japanese relations and their impact on Japan. South China Morning Post Definitive. South China Morning Post Opinion Intimate Rivals contains much sophisticated analysis and wisdom. Survival Impressively erudite and scrupulously researched... For those interested in the future of the region, U.S. foreign policy, or a deep examination of the power and limits of diplomacy, this book won't disappoint. A thorough account of a political dynamic that reverberates globally. Kirkus Reviews Among books on Japan's national security, Smith's Intimate Rivals stands out in its case selection, rich and vivid case description, a keen insight into Sino-Japan relations, and Japan's national security policy with a focus on the nexus between diplomacy and domestic interests. International Relations of the Asia Pacific Authoritative and comprehensive. Foreign Policy Interrupted A definitive book on how Japan's contemporary domestic politics affects its China policy, which is also indispensable for understanding East Asian international relations at a critical historical moment. -- Ming Wan Political Science Quarterly A rich vein of information that will interest students, policymakers and the general public. Intimate Rivals is a timely volume and a welcome addition to the expanding literature on Sino-Japanese relations. China Information Carefully researched... A valuable contribution. Pacific AffairsMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
30 b&w figures and tables
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
524 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-231-16789-5 (9780231167895)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
04/2015
Columbia University Press
€52.04
Shipment within 10-20 days
Person
Sheila A. Smith is senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). She lives in Washington, D.C.
Content
Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1. Contending with China 2. Diplomacy and Domestic Interests 3. Japan's Imperial Veterans 4. A Shared Maritime Boundary 5. Food Safety 6. Island Defense Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index