JAPAN'S 'NEO-ASIAN' POLICY: A POLITICO-ECONOMIC NECESSITY

This article analyzes the emergence of Japan's "Neo-Asian" policy in the post-Cold War era, arguing that this shift was a politico-economic necessity. It examines how the end of the Cold War and the rise of other Asian economies, particularly China, compelled Japan to move beyond its traditional, US-centric foreign policy and to forge a more independent and assertive role within its own region. The study explores the key components of this new policy, including the deepening of economic integration with East and Southeast Asia, the promotion of regional institutions like the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and a more candid engagement with the history of its wartime past. The research posits that this "return to Asia" was driven by the powerful economic imperative of engaging with the world's most dynamic economic region. The paper concludes that the Neo-Asian policy represented a fundamental and enduring reorientation of Japan's strategic identity.

In the post-Cold War world, Japan faced the crucial task of redefining its foreign policy. This paper analyzes the resulting shift towards a "Neo-Asian" policy, arguing that this was not a matter of choice but a politico-economic necessity. The study begins by outlining the limitations of Japan's traditional Cold War foreign policy, which was often criticized as being overly passive and subordinate to the United States. The core of the article is an examination of the powerful drivers of the new Asian focus. The primary driver identified is economic. The paper details how the economies of East and Southeast Asia had become Japan's most important trade and investment partners, making a deeper engagement with the region essential for its own prosperity. The second driver is political and strategic. With the decline of the clear bipolar structure, Japan recognized the need to play a more active role in shaping its own regional security environment, rather than simply relying on the US. The paper then analyzes the concrete manifestations of this new policy. It discusses Japan's evolving and more apologetic stance on its wartime history, which was a necessary step to build trust with its neighbors. It also examines Japan's championing of "open regionalism" and its active role in building the institutional architecture of the Asia-Pacific, such as APEC and the ARF. The findings suggest that this represented a historic and structural reorientation, a recognition that Japan's future lay in its full and active integration into the Asian community of nations.