Winner of the 2000 Yomiuri Yoshino Sakuzo Prize for academic writing on politics, economics, and history, this book locates the modern history of Southeast Asia within the framework of a “maritime Asia＂ which emerged from trade and commerce, state formation, imperial/global hegemonic ambitions, and popular resistance. It examines the rise of British-led collective imperialism in the nineteenth century and Pax Americana in the mid-twentieth century, and looks closely at the ways in which Japan navigated the evolving regional system. In its pages, the maritime Asia experience is examined comparatively across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. A new author's note brings this English-language edition up to date on regional developments since the original publication.

“I wrote this book in the hope that readers will be able to save their own lives as well as those of the ones they love when an earthquake next strikes, so that the tragedy of March 11, 2011, would never be repeated.” ―Satoko Oki What our chatty planet teaches us Would you be surprised to hear that there are scientists who listen to the Earth? Yes, the Earth does talk in many different voices?the voice of the air, the voice of the sea, the voice of volcanoes, and the voice of the Earth. Seismologists listen to the voice of the Earth. We use high performance seismometers that do not miss the slightest muttering by the Earth that human ears cannot hear. That way, we can learn about what causes earthquakes and even what it is like inside the planet. Earthquakes occur because it is hot inside the planet?because the Earth is dynamic. We cannot escape earthquakes as long as we live on the Earth. But from listening to the planet, seismologists have discovered what causes earthquakes and how we can live with them to protect our lives.

Over the last half century, why has the relationship between Japan and China been so volatile that it keeps fluctuating between deteriorating and improving? Why does criticism of Japan over historical issues repeatedly converge and reemerge? The reason lies in the constant power struggles taking place inside the Chinese Communist Party itself. An examination of various cases and documents dating from the period of normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China from the1970s to the present day will clarify how the Chinese political system is closely related to its diplomatic policies towards Japan.

The Cold War ended more than thirty years ago, but the world-and within it, the countries of Asia and the Pacific-still struggles to establish a peaceful and prosperous community of nations. Many midsized and smaller states, caught in the webs of superpower rivalry, have not felt their interests adequately represented by existing alliances and international organizations. This volume envisions an alternative: a Western Pacific Union (WPU), conceived as a loosely integrated community of nations stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, that would counterbalance superpower dominance and give greater agency in global affairs to its members by coordinating their voices and interests. The initiative for this proposal comes from Japan, with Dr. KITAOKA Shinichi, former ambassador to the United Nations and former president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, leading a team of established scholars, younger researchers, and specialists in articulating the concept of the WPU and dissecting the challenges facing its realization. The core of the book is a country-by-country treatment of the recent history and international relations of each potential member state and the prospects for its successful involvement in this nascent community of nations. Our world is increasingly integrated through advanced technologies and global commerce, but in many ways still remains fractious and divided. Finding peaceful, equitable, sustainable solutions to the issues confronting humanity demands new ideas and strategies. This volume addresses these needs with a new geopolitical vision for Asia and the Pacific.

The passing of Emperor Sh-owa marked the end of an era―an era memorable in both war and peace. As is the custom, the new emperor’s reign was given a new name, in this case “Heisei,” but this did not mean a reset on the international stage. The persistent diplomatic issues remained, and, furthermore, new issues arose. Promoting global peace and stability, preventing natural disasters, relations with China, regional cooperation, Japan’s role in the international order are just some of the many outstanding issues. How did Japan approach them and deal with them? What was accomplished and what still needs to be done? Given the issues’ paramount importance for both Japan and the world at large, this anthology brings together influential essays published by five of Japan’s leading scholars during the period.