Edited by Makoto Iokibe Tosh Minohara
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE HISTORY O F USJAPAN RELATIONS From Perry to the Present EDITED BY MAKOTO IOKIBE English translation edited by TOSH MINOHARA The History of US-Japan Relations Makoto Iokibe Editor Tosh Minohara English translation editor The History of US-Japan Relations From Perry to the Present Editor: English translation Editor: Makoto Iokibe Tosh Minohara Prefectural University of Kumamoto Kobe University Kumamoto-ken, Japan Kobe, Japan ISBN 978-981-10-3183-0 ISBN 978-981-10-3184-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-3184-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017930259 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the pub- lisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institu- tional affiliations. Nichibei kankei shi edited by Makoto Iokibe Copyright © Makoto Iokibe, 2008 All rights reserved. Originally published in Japan by Yuhikaku Publishing Co. Ltd., in 2008 English translation rights arranged with Yuhikaku Publishing Co. Ltd. through Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture (JPIC) English translation copyright © Tosh Minohara, 2017 Cover illustration: J. F. Woodruff / Alamy Stock Photo Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore PREFACE In 1853, an American fleet led by Commodore Matthew C. Perry steamed into Edo Bay with the mission of bringing an end to Tokugawa Japan’s policy of more than 200 years of seclusion. This contact marked the very beginning of a rich relationship that was maintained for nearly 90 years until the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, after which it was quickly resumed upon the end of American occupation in 1952 and has strength- ened for nearly 65 years. When America and Japan first encountered each other, they were both on the fringes of the great-power politics still very much centered in Europe. At the same time, however, both nations were just at the dawn of significant transformations that would eventually allow them to attain their status as great powers. As history shows us, America’s pivotal role in the two global wars of the twentieth century transformed it into the most powerful and prosperous nation that the world has seen in modern times, allowing it to forge what is now known as the “American Century.” It was also during this time that Japan gradually ascended in importance among the family of nations once it abandoned the policy of seclusion and quickly turned to embracing the path toward rapid modernization. The effort paid off handsomely as Japan was able to pull off stunning victories over both China and Russia which, in turn, catapulted Japan to the status of not only the first nation state in Asia to successfully modernize, but also as a mighty imperial power in its own right. But rapid change also had ramifications. The tremendous pace of Japan’s progress also impacted the very foundation of US–Japan relations. Early on, this bilateral relationship was based on primarily on mutual friendship, v vi Preface with America acting as the wise and benevolent mentor, astutely guiding Japan in its quest to enter the global system and survive. But such a rela- tionship was far from permanent. As both countries entered the twentieth century, the intricate relationship between these two emerging powers on opposite sides of the Pacific transformed itself into one that possessed elements of both cooperation and rivalry. After time, feelings of rivalry and the ensuing perception of threat began to gradually supplant the spirit of cooperation in the aftermath of First World War. US–Japan relations hastily deteriorated even further during the “dark valley” of the 1930s as Japan increasingly leaned more toward militarism and sent its army into Manchuria in September 1931. The Japanese policy of expansionism now redefined the relationship to one that was based on friction and tension; it would ultimately reach its breaking point and completely collapse in December 1941. But as soon as the vicious and bitterly fought conflict in the Pacific came to an end with Japan’s surrender and acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, the two countries wasted no time in returning to their original state of mutual friendship and cooperation with the start of the postwar occupation period. In hindsight, the reforms implemented during the occupation and the reconstruction of Japan were actually a joint venture based on cooperation between the two countries. Japan was determined and fully committed to embark on the postwar path to a peaceful return to international society, while the United States—which in the meantime had become the most influential nation in the world as well as the leader of the West—enthusiastically supported Japan’s democratiza- tion process, along with its quest of economic recovery. Friendship once again became the backbone of the relationship, which reached its zenith with the reversion of Okinawa to Japan in May 1972. But once rever- sion had been achieved, US–Japan relations entered a new phase that was marked by intense economic friction. Japan’s rapid economic rise and the resulting industrial prowess of the country began to be perceived by many Americans as a real threat to US national interests. This feeling was further exacerbated by the fact that the United States was entering into a period of relative decline while also struggling to cope with the deep wounds that the Vietnam War had inflicted upon its society. It was almost as if history would repeat itself as America and Japan encountered a difficult period, with elements of both cooperation and conflict coexisting within their bilateral relationship. For some, the two nations seemed to be once again heading for a cataclysmic clash. Preface vii However, despite a few superficial similarities to the prewar period, hostilities never ensued and instead a strong alliance remained throughout the Cold War. This also marked the stage where the relationship finally attained a level of maturity. The postwar US–Japan alliance began in 1952 and remained intact even during the era of bitter economic friction from the 1970s to the 1990s. Mike Mansfield, then US ambassador to Japan—a position that he held for 12 years, longer than any other US ambassador to Japan to this day—aptly described the US–Japan relationship during the 1980s as “the most important bilateral relationship in the world, bar none.” But drastic changes to the international environment would bring about new challenges to this formidable relationship. When the Cold War came to an abrupt end with the collapse of the Soviet Union, both America and Japan lost a common threat that had made alliance not only pertinent, but ever stronger. Thus, there were a few who predicted a demise of the US– Japan alliance—after all, it had outlived its purpose—or at least the scaling back of military support to levels such that US armed forces would only be present in Japan during times of national crisis. As history shows us, however, this never materialized. Even without a common foe, the mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples only deepened fur- ther as both nations shared the common core values of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and a free market economy. The relationship today has become even closer in the face of the threats posed by North Korea’s repeated attempts to develop nuclear capability and conduct missile tests as well as China’s blatant disregard for international law and aggressive expansion into the surrounding oceans, which are also claimed by other nations. Thus, in the postwar period spanning just over 70 years, the US– Japan relationship has been further strengthened by a firm and deep bond; it has indeed become one of the most formidable and mutually empower- ing relationships that exists on this planet. Before we delve into our examination of the history of US–Japan rela- tions in the following chapters, it will be convenient it to keep in mind the respective periodization of the prewar and postwar periods: Prewar Period: 1. Early friendship (1853–1905): From the “Black Ships” to the Treaty of Portsmouth. viii Preface 2. Cooperation and rivalry (1905–1930): Game of realpolitik between the two powers. 3. Collapse of relations (1931–1945): From the Manchurian Incident to the end of the Pacific War. Postwar Period: 1. Early friendship (1945–1972): From the Occupation period to the reversion of Okinawa. 2. Cooperation and rivalry (1972–1995): Economic friction and secu- rity cooperation. 3. Maturing of relations (1995–present): Maturing of the partnership and facing new global challenges.