Japan’s foreign relations in Cold War Asia, 1945–1990

Japan&s;s subordinate relationship with the United States (US) that began with defeat and occupation was enshrined in the San Francisco Treaty of 1951, a document that has left a complicated legacy for Japanese foreign policy and regional relations. This chapter examines the Yoshida Doctrine, how it evolved and its influence on bilateral ties with the US. The Yoshida Doctrine constrained what Japan was prepared to do in support of the US militarily, but over the decades US pressure on Tokyo led to significant changes. Due to the Cold War and Korean War, when Japan was used as a base for US military operations, relations with North Korea were limited. The Fukuda Doctrine aimed at transforming Japan&s;s reputation for being exclusively interested in economic policy and maximizing profits by building soft power through vigorous cultural diplomacy. Even during the convulsions of the Cultural Revolution Japanese exporters were still selling significant amounts of high-tech products and building manufacturing plants in China.