Abstract
In the past decade, Japan-Taiwan relations warmed considerably, evidenced by the growth in tourist exchange and the establishment of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. Considering China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan and Taiwan have strong motivation to cooperate and keep China in check. Interestingly, despite solid relations between Japan and Taiwan in recent years, a glimpse into the twentieth century betrays the fact that bilateral relations were quite different. This chapter notes Japan as one of the first countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC) after the Nixon-Mao Summit and argues that pragmatism in Japanese foreign policy results in the treatment of Taiwan as an awkward existence that is constantly challenged by China.
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Notes
- 1.
See Kerry Brown, The Rise of the Dragon: Inward and Outward Investment in China in the Reform Period 1978–2007 (Oxford: Chandos Publishing, 2008).
- 2.
See Ezra Vogel, Japan as No.1: Lessons for America (New York: Harper Colophon, 1979).
- 3.
See Tomohide Murai, “shin chugoku kyoi ron” (New China Threat Theory), Shokun 22(5) (1990), pp. 186–197.
- 4.
The Japan-China Diet Member’s Consultative Council was formally established in 1973 by members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to maintain relations with the Republic of China (ROC) after the termination of diplomatic relations between Japan and the ROC in the previous year. In the aftermath of party fracture in 1997, the council became an interparty initiative that includes pro-Taiwanese Diet members from different political parties.
- 5.
The Friends of Lee Teng Hui Association in Japan.
- 6.
Ministry of Defense Japan, Defense of Japan 2011 (Annual White Paper) (Tokyo: Ministry of Defense, 2011), p. 26.
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Liu, T.TT. (2022). Japan and the Political Status of Taiwan. In: Abidde, S.O. (eds) China and Taiwan in Africa. Africa-East Asia International Relations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95342-3_5
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