Question

What political and economic roles have Japan and the United States played in Southeast Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries?

Answer 1

Until the Meiji period, Japan's relationship with the rest of the world was largely defined in terms of a world order traditionally dominated by China in Eastern Asia. Japan was component of trade paths that included much of Southeast and East Asia, resulting in a great deal of cultural exchange and exchange of materials. Japan began trading with Western countries in the seventeenth century, but soon found it disruptive due to both the connections with Christianity and the demand it created for precious metals. Therefore, the government formally restricted foreign trade with Dutch and Chinese traders to that.

In the years following the defeat of Japan and the subsequent occupation by American forces, Japan has been heavily influenced by the United States in the political, economic and cultural arenas. Japan's constitution, written during the occupation, with its prohibition against militarization, and the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, which allows for extensive American military presence in Japan, exemplify the post war relationship between these two countries.But this relationship was questioned with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many have questioned if Japan should be liable for its own army, especially as a nation with excellent financial strength. Japan provides a lot of foreign aid, but complaints persist that it is not yet a responsible First World bloc member. Most of these complaints come from Western countries, while other complaints come from many Asian nations. These complaints are mostly the result of Japan's reluctance to accurately account for its actions during World War II.

In World War II Japan went to war partly to gain control of this region's resources. The harsh occupation of many Southeast Asian countries left resentment and bitterness, and the Japanese government is today making efforts to improve the relationship with those countries. Taken as a whole, the countries of Southeast Asia make up Japan's second largest export market (after the United States), and they provide important food, oil, metal ore, lumber and rubber imports.

While Korea and Japan have traditionally shared many cultural aspects — including the Chinese writing system and Chinese philosophical and religious influences, Japan's harsh colonization of Korea in the early twentieth century has left relations strained between the two countries.Japan's most important tie to the United States has been since World War II. Japan's treaty with the United States on mutual protection is essential to its safety. The United States is dedicated to defending Japan and partly for this purpose retains military bases in Japan. Despite Japan's defeat and subsequent American occupation, relations with the U.S. were friendly and close, with the exception of intermittent trade friction bouts starting in the 1970s. The United States has supported Japan's membership of various international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the General Tariff and Trade Agreement