JAPAN IN EAST ASIA: Changes in the 1990s and New Regional Strategy

Japan has undergone significant changes both in domestic politics and foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. They in effect have encouraged Japan toward greater participation in international security, re-vitalization of the US-Japan alliance, and a new strategy of East Asian community building. The new global strategy of the Bush administration and changing strategic landscapes in East Asia complicate Japan's coping strategy, but also provide an opportunity for Japan's new engagement strategy in the region.