Since its defeat in the Second World War, Japan has been fostering good ties with Western countries, especially the United States. However, some East Asian leaders emboldened by their countries' economic success have proclaimed that the future belongs to Asia and have put forward the "Asian values" argument. It is interesting to note that some elements of the "Asian values" argument resemble ultranationalist discourse that was dominant in Japan before the war. The Japanese Government had a great opportunity to reappraise its role in international politics and take stock of its economic and diplomatic relations with East Asian countries after the end of the Cold War. To meet future challenges, Japan should fully overcome anti-Western sentiment and participate in establishing a truly democratic East Asian regionalism based on the "universal values" of human rights, democracy and freedom. This may prove to be one of the biggest challenges for Japan's East Asia policy in the new century.
Arase, David. Japanese Policy Toward Democracy and Human Rights in Asia.
Aung, U Win. Statement by His Excellency U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, at the General Debate of the 55th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Buzan, Barry. Japan's Future: Old History Versus New Roles.
Calder, Kent E. Japanese Foreign Economic Policy Formation: Explaining the Reactive State.
Fairclough, Gordon. Standing Firm.
Furuoka, Fumitaka. Challenges for Japanese Diplomacy After the End of the Cold War.
Furuoka, Fumitaka. Japan and the Flying Geese Patten of East Asian Integration.
Hall, Ivan P. Japan's Asia Card.
Huntington, Samuel P.. The Clash of Civilisations?.
Katada, Saori N. Japan's Two-Track Aid Approach, The Forces Behind Competing Trends.
Kitaoka, Shin'ichi., James W. White, Michio Umesaki and Thomas R.H. Havens (eds). Prophet Without Honour: Kiyosawa Kiyoshi's View of Japanese-American Relation; The Ambivalence of Nationalism: Modern Japan Between East and West.
Konoe, Fumimaro. Against a Pacifism Centred on England and America.
Kuroyanagi, Yoneji. Jinken Gaiko tai Eijian Uei [Human Rights Diplomacy and the Asian Way].
Lim, Kit Siang. Malaysia's Foreign Rhetoric Anti-Budget.
Macapagal-Arroyo, Gloria.. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Speech During the UNDP Global Launching of the Human Development Report 2002.
Mahathir, Mohamad, K.S. Jomo (ed). New Government Policies;Mahathir's Economic Policy.
Miwa, Kimitada, James W. White, Michio Umesaki and Thomas R.H. Havens (eds). Japanese Polices and Concepts for a Regional Order in Asia, 1938-1940;The Ambivalence of Nationalism: Modern Japan Between East and West.
Miyashita, Akitoshi. Gaiatsu and Japan's Foreign Aid. Rethinking the Reactive-Proactive Debate.
Moody, Peter R.. Asian Values.
Pempel, T.J.. Gulliver in Lilliput: Japan and Asian Economic Regionalism.
Peng, Dajin. The Changing Nature of East Asia as an Economic Region.
Qiao, Zhonghuai. Statement by H.E. Ambassador Qiao Zhonghuai, Head of the Chinese Delegation, on Item 9 at the 57th Session of the Commission on Human Rights.
Tamamoto, Masaru. Japan's Uncertain Role.
Tay, Simon. Looking Beyond the Yasukuni Shrine Issue.
Tsunoda, Ryusaku. Wm Theodore de Bary and Donald Keene;Sources of Japanese Tradition. Volume II.