Russias Foreign Policy with Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Russias Foreign Policy with Japan - Essay ExampleTanaka (1993) offers the argument that Russia is an kindle example to be used in analyzing Japans development of identity and concept of self because Russia does not fall into the socio-economic class of Japans Orient self, neither does it fall into the category of Japans West, both of which are generally the dominant others in relation to which Japans foreign insurance policy and national identity have been conditioned. As a result, Japans dealings with Russia conform to a unique pattern which has impacted upon both Japanese and Russian national character. As Hasegawa (2000) has pointed out, Russia has always been relatively unpopular in Japan, particularly as compared to other countries such as China and the United States. Bukh (2007) has assessed the contributions made by Japans popular novelists, such as Shiba Ryotaro who have dealt exhaustively with the subject of Japans fib and have been largely responsible for the develop ment of the Japan-Russia discourse. Japans national identity has been defined as a positive entity mostly in relation to a veto other, in this instance Russia. During the period after the IInd World fight, Russias increasing industrial strength moved it into a position of strength during the cold-blooded War when the country rapidly evolved to a position of power. n view of the significant problems of poverty and devastation that Japan experienced after the IInd World War and the Pacific War, and Russias comparatively more prosperous position, the effort to improve Japans position of necessity resulted in Russia being placed in the position of the disallow other. Once the Cold War was over and Japans economic position began to improve in relation to Russia, the latter still served to define Japans identity in relation to a negative other because during this period, Russia may have served as a negative other symbolizing the evils of communism which had been unsuccessful. Russia has become even more relevant in establishing Japans national identity after the latters economic recovery began to sustain itself. Since Japan was also on the periphery of international affairs, its adherence to western capitalistic philosophy and its aline itself with the United States provided it an opportunity to regain some status within the international community as a country aligned with Western international interests. From Russias perspective, its policy towards Japan was initially driven by territorial interests when it annexed the northern territories. According to Pikes (1996/7), the foreign policy of any great power is linked to its economy. The root of Russian foreign policy originates in the Bolshevik revolution, wherein Russia was to be merely a springboard from which the communist revolution and philosophy were to spread to all parts of the world, including the Communist countries. The expansionist policy associated with this belief was the partial cause of Russi as appropriation of the northern territories. Moreover, Japans rejection of Communist philosophies and adoption of the western philosophy has placed the two nations at frigid ends of the spectrum, despite both of them being peripheral nations as further detailed in this report.