Japan's National Identity and Foreign Policy Russia as Japan's 'Other' [Hardcover]

This book is the first attempt to examine Japans relations with Russia from the perspective of national identity; providing a new interpretation of Japans perceptions of Russia and foreign policy.

Alexander Bukh focuses on the construction of the Japanese self using Russia as the other, examining the history of bilateral relations and comparisons between the Russian and Japanese national character. The first part of the book examines the formation of modern Japans perceptions of Russia, focusing mainly on the Cold War years. The second part of the book examines how this identity construction has been reflected in Japans economic, security and territorial dispute related policy towards post-Soviet Russia.

Providing not only a case study of the Japan-Russia relationship, but also engaging in a critical examination of existing International Relations frameworks for conceptualizing the relationship between national identity and foreign policy, the appeal of the book will not be limited to those interested in Japanese/Russian politics but will also be of interest to the broader body of students of International Relations.

1. Exploring Japans Identity  2. Constructions of Japans Self   3. Japans Soviet Union , Japans Russia   4. Ainu, Russia and Japans Quest for Northern Territories   5. Shibas Original Forms of Japan and Russia  6. Newly Born Russia and Japan  7. The Idea of the Northern Territories.  Conclusion

[T]his book....is an innovative study analyzing Japan's relations with the Soviet Union/Russia from the perspective of national identity...[T]his books fills an important gap in the academic literature by explaining the Japanese socio-political identity from the perspective of Soviet Union/Russia's otherness and opens the way to further investigation on Japan's identity issuel#d