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Foreign relations of Japan


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Japan
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The Foreign relations of Japan (日本の国際関係, Nihon no kokusai kankei) are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.




Map of countries with diplomatic missions of Japan shown in blue


Japanese foreign relations had to begin anew in 1945 and, when it was defeated in war and stripped of all of its foreign conquests and possessions. See History of Japanese foreign relations. The United States, acting for the Allied powers, occupied Japan 1945-51. Since gaining full independence with the Treaty of San Francisco, Japanese diplomatic policy has been based on close partnership with the United States and the emphasis on the international cooperation such as the United Nations. In the Cold War, Japan took a part in the Western world's confrontation of the Soviet Union in East Asia. In the rapid economic developments in the 1960s and 1970s, Japan recovered its influences and became regarded as one of the major powers in the world. However, Japanese influences are regarded as negative by two particular countries: China and South Korea.[1]


During the Cold War, Japanese foreign policy was not self-assertive, relatively focused on their economic growth. However, the end of the Cold War and bitter lessons from the Gulf War changed the policy slowly. Japanese government decided to participate in the Peacekeeping operations by the UN, and sent their troops to Cambodia, Mozambique, Golan Heights and the East Timor in the 1990s and 2000s.[2] After the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, Japanese naval vessels have been assigned to resupply duties in the Indian Ocean to the present date. The Ground Self-Defense Force also dispatched their troops to Southern Iraq for the restoration of basic infrastructures.


Beyond its immediate neighbors, Japan has pursued a more active foreign policy in recent years, recognizing the responsibility which accompanies its economic strength. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda stressed a changing direction in a policy speech to the National Diet: "Japan aspires to become a hub of human resource development as well as for research and intellectual contribution to further promote cooperation in the field of peace-building."[3] This follows the modest success of a Japanese-conceived peace plan which became the foundation for nationwide elections in Cambodia in 1998.




Contents






  • 1 History


    • 1.1 Links




  • 2 Africa


  • 3 Americas


  • 4 Asia


    • 4.1 Southeast Asia


    • 4.2 South Asia




  • 5 Europe


    • 5.1 Modern era




  • 6 Oceania


  • 7 Debates and frictions


  • 8 Disputed territories


  • 9 See also


  • 10 References


  • 11 Further reading


  • 12 External links





History[edit]




Links[edit]



  • Foreign relations of Meiji Japan

  • International relations of the Great Powers (1814–1919)

  • Diplomatic history of World War I

  • International relations (1919–1939)

  • Causes of World War II

  • Diplomatic history of World War II


  • Cold War


    • History of Sino-Japanese relations, China

    • France–Japan relations

    • Germany–Japan relations


    • Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, 1930-1945


    • History of Japan–Korea relations

      • Japan–North Korea relations

      • Japan–South Korea relations



    • Japanese foreign policy on Southeast Asia


    • Japan–Russia relations
      • Japan–Soviet Union relations


    • Japan–United Kingdom relations

    • Japan–United States relations





Africa[edit]


Japan is increasingly active in Africa. In May 2008, the first Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize will be awarded at Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV),[4] which signals a changing emphasis in bilateral relations.






















































































































































































































































































Country
Formal Relations Began
Notes

 Algeria
1962 See Algeria–Japan relations

 Angola
1976-09 See Angola–Japan relations

Angola–Japan relations were established in September 1976, shortly after Angola received formal sovereignty. As of 2007, economic relations played "a fundamental role in the bilateral relations between the two governments".[5] Susumu Shibata is the ambassador of Japan to Angola.[6]



 Benin
1960-08-01 See Foreign relations of Benin

 Botswana
1966-09 See Foreign relations of Botswana

 Burkina Faso
1962-07-01 See Foreign relations of Burkina Faso

 Burundi
1962-07-01 See Foreign relations of Burundi

 Cameroon
1960-01-01 See Foreign relations of Cameroon

 Cape Verde
1975-07-11 See Foreign relations of Cape Verde

 Central African Republic
1960-08-13 See Foreign relations of Central African Republic

 Chad
1960-08-11 See Foreign relations of Chad

 Comoros
1977-11-14 See Foreign relations of Comoros

 Republic of the Congo
1960 See Foreign relations of Republic of the Congo

 Côte d'Ivoire
1960-08-07 See Foreign relations of Côte d'Ivoire

 Democratic Republic of the Congo
1960-08-18 See Foreign relations of Democratic Republic of the Congo

 Djibouti
1977-06-27 See Djibouti–Japan relations

 Egypt
1922 See Egypt–Japan relations

Japan considers Egypt to be a key player in the Middle East and, as such, sees Egypt as a vital part of its diplomacy in the region.[7] The two heads of government have been known to support each other on issues pertaining to the peace process in the Middle East.[8]


Additionally, the two countries claim to share a common vision for world peace.[9] The two countries maintain a "Joint Committee" dedicated to exploring developments in areas of mutual interest to the two countries.[10]



 Equatorial Guinea
1968-11-12 See Foreign relations of Equatorial Guinea

 Eritrea
1993-09 See Foreign relations of Eritrea

 Eswatini
1971-05 See Eswatini–Japan relations

 Ethiopia
1927-06 See Ethiopia–Japan relations

  • Ethiopia has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Addis Ababa.



 Gabon
1960-08-17 See Foreign relations of Gabon

 Gambia
1965-02-18 See Foreign relations of the Gambia

 Ghana
1957-03-06 See Foreign relations of Ghana

Japan and Ghana maintain a special relationship and Ghana has an embassy in Tokyo, and Japan has an embassy in Accra.



 Guinea
1960-04-22 See Foreign relations of Guinea

 Guinea-Bissau
1974-08-01 See Foreign relations of Guinea

 Kenya
1963 See Japan–Kenya relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Nairobi.

  • Kenya has an embassy in Tokyo.



 Lesotho
1971-07 See Foreign relations of Lesotho

 Liberia
1961-09-27 See Foreign relations of Liberia

 Libya
1957 See Foreign relations of Libya

 Madagascar
1960–07-05 See Foreign relations of Madagascar

  • Japan has an embassy in Antananarivo.

  • Madagascar has an embassy in Tokyo.



 Malawi
1967-11 See Foreign relations of Malawi

 Mali
1959-10-04 See Foreign relations of Mali

 Mauritania
1960-11-29 See Foreign relations of Mauritania

 Mauritius
1968-03-12 See Foreign relations of Mauritius

 Morocco
1956 See Foreign relations of Morocco

 Mozambique
1977-01 See Foreign relations of Mozambique

 Namibia
1990-03-22 See Japan–Namibia relations

 Niger
1960-08-03 See Foreign relations of Niger

 Nigeria
1960-10-01 See Foreign relations of Nigeria

Japan and Nigeria engage in strong economic and political cooperation. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 October 1960.[11]



 Rwanda
1962-07-01 See Foreign relations of Rwanda

 São Tomé and Príncipe
1975-07-22 See Foreign relations of São Tomé and Príncipe

 Senegal
1960-10-04 See Foreign relations of Senegal

 Seychelles
1976-06-29 See Foreign relations of Seychelles

 Sierra Leone
1961-04-27 See Foreign relations of Sierra Leone

 Somalia
1960-07 See Japan–Somalia relations

 South Africa
1910 See Japan–South Africa relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Pretoria.

  • South Africa has an embassy in Tokyo.



 South Sudan
2011-07-09 See Foreign relations of South Sudan

 Sudan
1956-01-06 See Foreign relations of Sudan

 Tanzania
1964 See Foreign relations of Tanzania

 Togo
1960-04-27 See Foreign relations of Togo

 Tunisia
1956-06 See Foreign relations of Tunisia

Japan and Tunisia have a mutual free visa agreement.



  • Japan has an embassy in Cité Mahrajène, Tunis.[12]

  • Tunisia has an embassy in Kudanminami, Chiyoda, Tokyo.[13]



 Uganda
1962-10-09 See Foreign relations of Uganda

 Zambia
1964-10 See Foreign relations of Zambia

 Zimbabwe
1980-04-18 See Foreign relations of Zimbabwe


Americas[edit]



Japan has continued to extend significant support to development and technical assistance projects in Latin America.[14]























































































































































































Country
Formal Relations Began
Notes

 Antigua and Barbuda
1982-10-04 See Foreign relations of Antigua and Barbuda

 Argentina
1898-02-03
See Argentina–Japan relations

Argentina maintains an embassy in Tokyo and Japan maintains an embassy in Buenos Aires. Diplomatic relations were restored by the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1952. Argentine president Arturo Frondizi visited Japan in 1960, and subsequently bilateral trade and Japanese investment into Argentina have increased in importance. Japanese imports were primarily foodstuffs and raw materials, while exports were mostly machinery and finished products.


Members of the Imperial Family of Japan have visited Argentina on a number of occasions, including Prince and Princess Takamado in 1991, Emperor and Empress Akihito in 1997 and Prince and Princess Akishino in 1998. Argentine President Raúl Alfonsín visit Japan in 1986, as did President Carlos Menem in 1990, 1993 and 1998.



 Bahamas
1975-03-11 See Foreign relations of the Bahamas

 Barbados
29 August 1967[15]
See Barbados–Japan relations

Japan was accredited to Barbados from its embassy in Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and an honorary consulate in Bridgetown. Since January 2016, Japan opened a new embassy directly in Bridgetown, Barbados. Barbados is represented towards Japan through a non-resident ambassador in Bridgetown.



 Belize
1982-11-03 See Foreign relations of Belize

 Bolivia
1914-04-03 See Bolivia–Japan relations

  • Bolivia has an embassy in Tokyo.[16]

  • Japan has an embassy in La Paz and a consular office in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.[17]



 Brazil
1895 See Brazil–Japan relations

  • Brazil has an embassy in Tokyo and consulates-general in Hamamatsu and Nagoya.[18]

  • Japan has an embassy in Brasília and consulates-general in Belém, Curitiba, Manaus, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and consular offices in Recife and Porto Alegre.[19]



 Canada
1928-01-21[15]
See Canada–Japan relations

Diplomatic relations between both countries officially began in 1950 with the opening of the Japanese consulate in Ottawa. In 1929, Canada opened its Tokyo legation, the first in Asia;[20] and in that same year, Japan its Ottawa consulate to legation form.[21]


Some Canadian–Japanese contacts predate the mutual establishment of permanent legations. The first known Japanese immigrant to Canada, Manzo Nagano, landed in New Westminster, British Columbia in 1877.[22] Japan's consulate in Vancouver was established in 1889, 40 years before its embassy was opened in Ottawa in 1929.[23]


Canadians G. G. Cochran helped in founding Doshisha University in Kyoto, and Davidson McDonald helped in establishing Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo.[21]


In the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, a Canadian steamship, the RMS Empress of Australia and her captain, Samuel Robinson achieved international acclaim for stalwart rescue efforts during the immediate aftermath of that disaster.[24]


Canadian military attaché Herbert Cyril Thacker served in the field with Japanese forces in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05), for which the Japanese government awarded him the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class[25] and the Japanese War medal for service during that campaign.[26]


Canada and Japan have had diplomatic relations since 1928. Both countries are characterized by their active role in the Asia-Pacific community, as well as a relationship consisting of important economic, political, and socio-cultural ties. As major international donors, both Canada and Japan are strongly committed to promoting human rights, sustainable development and peace initiatives.


Canada–Japan relations are underpinned by their partnership in multilateral institutions: the G-7/8; the United Nations; the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Quad (Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States), and by their common interest in the Pacific community, including participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).


Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Canada in 2009.[27]



 Chile
1897-09-25 See Chile–Japan relations

  • During World War II, relations between both countries were severed. In 1943, President Juan Antonio Ríos suspended relations with Japan and in February 1945, he declared a "state of belligerancy". Finally, on 12 April 1945, Chile declared war against Japan. Relations were re-established by the signing of San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1952.

  • Japan has an embassy in Santiago de Chile

  • Chile has an embassy and a consulate-general in Tokyo and three honorary consulates in Osaka, Sapporo and Nagasaki.



 Colombia
1908-05-25 See Colombia–Japan relations

The relationship was officially established in 1908, only interrupted between 1942 and 1954 with the surge of World War II. Relations are mostly based on commercial trade that has favored Japan interests such as Colombian coffee (which Japan exports a lot), cultural exchanges and technological and philanthropic aid to Colombia.[28]



 Costa Rica
1935-02 See Foreign relations of Costa Rica

 Cuba
1929-12-21 See Foreign relations of Cuba

 Dominica
1978-12-11 See Foreign relations of Dominica

 Dominican Republic
1934-11 See Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic

 Ecuador
1918-08-26 See Ecuador–Japan relations

 El Salvador
1935-02 See Foreign relations of El Salvador

 Grenada
1975-04-11 See Grenada–Japan relations

 Guatemala
1935-02 See Foreign relations of Guatemala

 Guyana
1967-05-02 See Foreign relations of Guyana

 Haiti
1931 See Foreign relations of Haiti

 Honduras
1935-02 See Foreign relations of Honduras

 Jamaica
1964-03-17 See Jamaica–Japan relations

 Mexico
1888[15]
See Japan–Mexico relations

The Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation concluded in 1888 between Japan and Mexico was the nation's first "equal" treaty with any country;[29] which overshadows Tokugawa Ieyasu's pre-Edo period initiatives which sought to establish official relations with the New Spain in Mexico.[30]


In 1897, the 35 members of the so-called Enomoto Colonization Party settle in the Mexican state of Chiapas. This was the first organized emigration from Japan to Latin America.[29]


President Álvaro Obregón was awarded Japan's Order of the Chrysanthemum at a special ceremony in Mexico City. On 27 November 1924, Baron Shigetsuma Furuya, Special Ambassador from Japan to Mexico, conferred the honor on Obregón. It was reported that this had been the first time that the Order had been conferred outside the Imperial family.[31]


In 1952, Mexico becomes the second country to ratify the San Francisco Peace Treaty, preceded only by the United Kingdom.[29]


Mexico and Japan on 17 September 2004, signed the "Agreement Between Japan and The United Mexican States For The Strengthening of The Economic Partnership." This was the among many historic steps led by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to strengthen global economic stability.



 Nicaragua
1935-02 See Foreign relations of Nicaragua

 Panama
1904-01-07 See Foreign relations of Panama

  • The Japan has an embassy in Panama City and Panama has an embassy in Tokyo

  • The Japan and Panama have a strong bilateral relationship.



 Paraguay
1919-11-17
See Japan–Paraguay relations

  • Commercial relations started prior to the establishment of diplomatic relations. Trade agreement was signed in Asuncion on 17 November 1919.[32]

  • Japan has an embassy in Asuncion.[33]

  • Paraguay has an embassy in Tokyo.[34]

  • There are around 7,000 Paraguayans who are of Japanese descent, whose ancestors came to Paraguay between 1936 and 1959. (See also Japanese Paraguayan)

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Paraguay

  • Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Relations about relations with Japan



 Peru
1873-08-21 See Japan–Peru relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Lima.[35]

  • Peru has an embassy in Tokyo and a consulate-general in Nagoya.[36]



 Saint Kitts and Nevis
1985-01-14 See Foreign relations of Saint Kitts and Nevis

 Saint Lucia
1980-01-11 See Foreign relations of Saint Lucia

 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1980-04-15 See Foreign relations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

 Suriname
1975-12-06 See Foreign relations of Suriname

 Trinidad and Tobago
1964-05 See Japan–Trinidad and Tobago relations

 United States
1846[15]
See Japan–United States relations



Yasuo Fukuda and George W. Bush


The United States is Japan's closest ally, and Japan relies on the U.S. for its national security to a high degree. As two of the world's top three economic powers, both countries also rely on close economic ties for their wealth, despite ongoing and occasionally acrimonious trade frictions.


Although its constitution and government policy preclude an offensive military role for Japan in international affairs, Japanese cooperation with the United States through the 1960 U.S.–Japan Security Treaty has been important to the peace and stability of East Asia. Currently, there are domestic discussions about possible reinterpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. All postwar Japanese governments have relied on a close relationship with the United States as the foundation of their foreign policy and have depended on the mutual security treaty for strategic protection.


The relationship probably hit a post-war nadir around the early 1990s, when Japan's "economic rise" was seen as a threat to American power. Japan was the primary financier of the Gulf War, yet received major criticism in some US circles for its refusal to commit actual military support. Following the collapse of the so-called Bubble economy and the 1990s boom in the US, the Japanese economy was perceived as less of a threat to US interests. Some observers still feel that Japan's willingness to deploy troops in support of current US operations in Iraq, as spearheaded by Koizumi and the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, reflects a vow not to be excluded from the group of countries the US considers friends. This decision may reflect a realpolitik understanding of the threat Japan faces from a rapidly modernizing China, which from its continued and indeed growing pattern of anti-Japanese demonstrations reveals the belief that old historical scores remain unsettled.



 Uruguay
1921-09-24
See Japan–Uruguay relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Montevideo.[37]

  • Uruguay has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • There are a few hundred people of Japanese descent living in Uruguay. (See also Japanese Uruguayan)

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Uruguay



 Venezuela
1938-08-19 See Japan–Venezuela relations

Formal diplomatic relations between the countries were established in August 1938.[38] Venezuela broke off diplomatic ties with Japan (and the other Axis Powers) in December 1941, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.[39]


In 1999, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez made a three-day trip to Japan. He made another two-day trip in 2009, during which he met Prime Minister Taro Aso.




Asia[edit]



Southeast Asia[edit]




Embassy of Indonesia in Japan


By 1990 Japan's interaction with the vast majority of Asia-Pacific countries, especially its burgeoning economic exchanges, was multifaceted and increasingly important to the recipient countries. The developing countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regarded Japan as critical to their development. Japan's aid to the ASEAN countries totaled US $1.9 billion in Japanese fiscal year (FY) 1988 versus about US $333 million for the United States during U.S. FY 1988. Japan was the number one foreign investor in the ASEAN countries, with cumulative investment as of March 1989 of about US $14.5 billion, more than twice that of the United States. Japan's share of total foreign investment in ASEAN countries in the same period ranged from 70 to 80 percent in Thailand to 20 percent in Indonesia.


In the late 1980s, the Japanese government was making a concerted effort to enhance its diplomatic stature, especially in Asia. Toshiki Kaifu's much publicized spring 1991 tour of five Southeast Asian nations—Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines—culminated in a 3 May major foreign policy address in Singapore, in which he called for a new partnership with the ASEAN and pledged that Japan would go beyond the purely economic sphere to seek an "appropriate role in the political sphere as a nation of peace." As evidence of this new role, Japan took an active part in promoting negotiations to resolve the Cambodian conflict.


In 1997, the ASEAN member nations and the People's Republic of China, South Korea and Japan agreed to hold yearly talks to further strengthen regional cooperation, the ASEAN Plus Three meetings. In 2005 the ASEAN plus Three countries together with India, Australia and New Zealand held the inaugural East Asia Summit (EAS).



South Asia[edit]


In South Asia, Japan's role is mainly that of an aid donor. Japan's aid to seven South Asian countries totaled US$1.1 billion in 1988 and 1989, dropping to just under US$900 million in 1990. Except for Pakistan, which received heavy inputs of aid from the United States, all other South Asian countries receive most of their aid from Japan. Four South Asian nations—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka—are in the top ten list of Tokyo's aid recipients worldwide. A point to note is that Indian Government has a no receive aid policy since the tsunami that struck India but Indian registerred NGOs look to Japan for much investment in their projects


Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu signaled a broadening of Japan's interest in South Asia with his swing through the region in April 1990. In an address to the Indian parliament, Kaifu stressed the role of free markets and democracy in bringing about "a new international order," and he emphasized the need for a settlement of the Kashmir territorial dispute between India and Pakistan and for economic liberalization to attract foreign investment and promote dynamic growth. To India, which was very short of hard currency, Kaifu pledged a new concessional loan of ¥100 billion (about US$650 million) for the coming year.














































































































































































































































Country
Formal Relations Began
Notes

 Afghanistan
1930-11-19[15]
See Afghanistan–Japan relations

Afghan–Japanese relations have existed as far back as World War II, and have been mainly positive. The Japanese government in 1974 started feasibility study under grant aid to develop and built television in Afghanistan.



 Armenia
1992-09-07
See Armenia–Japan relations

  • Armenia has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Yerevan.

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Armenia



 Azerbaijan
1992-01-27 See Foreign relations of Azerbaijan#Asia

 Bahrain
1974-05-15 See Bahrain–Japan relations

 Bangladesh
1972-02[15]
See Bangladesh–Japan relations

Bangladeshi–Japanese relations were established in February 1972.[40] Japan is Bangladesh's 11th-largest export market; imports from Bangladesh make up 26% of all Japanese imports from the least developed countries, second only to those from Cambodia. Common imports from Bangladesh to Japan include leather goods, ready-made garments, and shrimp.[41] By 2004, Japan had become Bangladesh's fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment, behind the United States, United Kingdom, and Malaysia. Japan's political goals in its relationship with Bangladesh include gaining support for their bid to join the United Nations Security Council, and securing markets for their finished goods. Japan is a significant source of development aid to Bangladesh.[42]



 Bhutan
1986-03-28[15]
See Bhutan–Japan relations

 Brunei
1984-04-02[15]
See Brunei–Japan relations

Brunei has an embassy in Tokyo, and Japan has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan.[43] Relations has been established since 2 April 1984.[43]



 Burma
1954-12-01[15]

Foreign relations of Burma

 Cambodia
1953[15]
See Cambodia–Japan relations

Japan has an embassy in Phnom Penh. Trade is sizable between the two countries:



  • Japan to Cambodia: 14.0 billion yen (2006)

  • Cambodia to Japan: 9.5 billion yen (2006)


Japanese investment in Cambodia includes Phnom Penh Commercial Bank, a joint venture of Hyundai Switzerland and Japanese SBI Group, opened in 2008. Japan remains Cambodia’s top donor country providing some US$1.2 billion in total overseas development assistance (ODA) during the period since 1992.[44]
In 2006, Japanese and Cambodian governments signed an agreement outlining a new Japanese aid program worth US$59 million.[45]


The Japanese Government has provided significant assistance for demining and education.[46][47]


  • Japanese embassy in Cambodia


 China
1972[15]
See China–Japan relations


Old Embassy of Japan in China


During the Meiji Era, China was one of the first countries to experience the effects of Japanese Imperialism. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, relations with Japan changed from hostility and an absence of contact to cordiality and extremely close cooperation in many fields. During the 1960s the two countries resumed trade for the first time since World War II under the Liao–Takasaki Agreement. On 29 September 1972, Japan and China signed a treaty establishing diplomatic relations between the states. The 1990s led to an enormous growth in China’s economic welfare. Trade between Japan and China was one of the many reasons China was able to grow in the double-digit rates during the 1980s and 1990s. Japan was in the forefront among leading industrialized nations in restoring closer economic and political relations with China. Resumption of Japan's multibillion-dollar investments to China and increased visits to China by Japanese officials, culminating in the October 1992 visit of Emperor Akihito, gave a clear indication that Japan considered closer ties with China in its economic and strategic interest. Despite a 1995 apology regarding World War II by Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, tensions still remain, mostly because many Chinese feel there is a lack of true remorse for wartime crimes committed by Imperial Japanese forces. This has been reinforced by numerous visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese Prime Ministers, attempts to revise textbooks by Japanese nationalists, the continued dispute over Japan's atrocities in the Nanking Massacre, and the resurgence of nationalism and militarism in Japan.



 East Timor
2002-05-20[15]
See East Timor–Japan relations

 Georgia
1992-08-03 See Georgia–Japan relations

  • Japan has extended foreign aid to Georgia for various economic and cultural development projects.

  • The balance of trade between the two nations is heavily in favor of Japan, with Japan exporting automobiles and manufactured goods, and Georgia exporting food products and chemicals.

  • Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze made an official visit to Japan in March 1999 and President Mikheil Saakashvili visited Japan in March 2007.

  • Since November 2006, Georgia has maintained an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Tbilisi.

  • Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Japan

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Georgia



 India
1952-04-28[15]
See India–Japan relations



Indian, Japanese and US naval warships take part in a military exercise near Bōsō Peninsula in 2007. India is one of the only three nations with whom Japan has a security pact, the other two being the United States and Australia.[48]


Throughout history, bilateral foreign relations between Japan and India have generally been friendly and strong. In December 2006, Prime Minister Singh's visit to Japan culminated in the signing of the "Joint Statement Towards Japan–India Strategic and Global Partnership".


According to Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's arc of freedom theory, it is in Japan's interests to develop closer ties with India, world's most populous democracy, while its relations with China remain chilly. To this end, Japan has funded many infrastructure projects in India, most notably in New Delhi's metro subway system and Maruti.India and Japan have signed a deal to build high speed trains in India[49]


Indian applicants have been welcomed in 2006–07 to the JET Programme, starting with just one slot available in 2006 and 41 in 2007.


India and Japan signed a security cooperation agreement in which both will hold military exercises, police the Indian Ocean and conduct military-to-military exchanges on fighting terrorism, making India one of only three countries, the others being the United States and Australia, with which Japan has such a security pact.[48] There are 25,000 Indians in Japan as of 2008.



 Indonesia
1958-04[15]
See Indonesia–Japan relations


  • Indonesia has an embassy in Tokyo and a consulate in Osaka. Japan has an embassy in Jakarta and consulates in Medan, Denpasar, Surabaya, and Makassar.

  • Japan is Indonesia's largest export partner.

  • Both countries are members of the G20 major economies and APEC.



 Iran
1878 See Iran–Japan relations

Japan's foreign policy towards and investments in Iran have historically been dominated by the desire to secure reliable energy supplies; Iran is Japan's third-largest oil supplier after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.[50] Iran and Japan signed a visa-free travel arrangement in 1974, but it was terminated in April 1992 due to large-scale illegal Iranian migration to Japan.[51] Iran and Japan also cooperate on regional foreign policy issues in the Middle East, such as the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[52] Since 2004, Japan has been working on developing Iran's largest on-shore oil field, located at Azadegan.[53]



 Iraq
1939-11 See Foreign relations of Iraq

 Israel
1952-05-15
See Israel–Japan relations

The Japanese government refrained from appointing a Minister Plenipotentiary to Israel until 1955. Relations between the two states were distant at first, but after 1958, as demand no break occurred. This had been at the same time that OPEC had imposed an oil embargo against several countries, including Japan.



 Jordan
1954 See Foreign relations of Jordan

 Kazakhstan
1992-01-26[15]


 Kuwait
1961 See Foreign relations of Kuwait

 Kyrgyzstan
1992-01-26[15]


 Laos
1955-03-05[15]
See Japan-Laos relations

 Lebanon
1954-11


  • The embassy of Japan in Lebanon is located in the Serail Hill Area, Army Street, Zokak El-Blat, Beirut. The current ambassador is Yoshihisa Kuroda.[54]

  • The embassy of Lebanon in Japan is located in Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.[55]

  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Japan–Lebanon Relations



 Malaysia
1957-08-31[15]
See Japan–Malaysia relations

Japan has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and consulates in George Town and Kota Kinabalu. Malaysia maintains an embassy in Tokyo. The Japanese and Malaysian governments had visited each other on multiple occasions. Notable visits include the King of Malaysia visiting Japan in 2005 while in 2006, the Emperor and Empress of Japan visited Malaysia.



 Maldives
1967-11-06[15]
See Japan–Maldives relations

 Mongolia
1972[15]
See Mongolia–Japan relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Ulaanbaatar.[56]

  • Mongolia has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Mongolia

  • Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: list of bilateral treaties with Japan (in Mongolian)



   Nepal
1956-07-28[15]
See Japan–Nepal relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Kathmandu.

  • Nepal has an embassy in Tokyo.



 North Korea
[15] See Japan–North Korea relations

Japan strongly supports the U.S. in its efforts to encourage North Korea to abide by the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Despite the 31 August 1998 North Korean missile test which overflew the Home Islands, Japan has maintained its support for the Korean Energy Development Organization (KEDO) and the Agreed Framework, which seeks to freeze the North Korean nuclear program. The U.S., Japan, and South Korea closely coordinate and consult trilaterally on policy toward North Korea, at least on a government level. Japan has limited economic and commercial ties with North Korea. Japanese normalization talks halted when North Korea refused to discuss a number of issues with Japan.



 Oman
1972-05

 Pakistan
1952-04-28[15]
See Japan–Pakistan relations

  • There has been a regular exchange of high level visits between the two countries.

  • The 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, jointly celebrated by the two countries in 2002, was a significant landmark in the history of this friendship.

  • There are at least 10,000 Pakistanis residing in Japan.



 Philippines
1956-07[15]
See Japan-Philippines relations

Relations between Japan and the Philippines were generally very strong since the end of World War II. It span a period from before the 16th century to the present. The Philippines gained independence from the United States in 1946. Diplomatic relations were re-established in 1956, when a war reparations agreement was concluded. By the end of the 1950s, Japanese companies and individual investors had begun to return to the Philippines and in 1975, Japan displaced the United States as the main source of investment in the Philippines.



 Qatar
1972 See Japan–Qatar relations

 Saudi Arabia
1955-06 See Japan–Saudi Arabia relations

Saudi Arabian – Japan relations were established during the past half a century. Saudi–Japanese relations are based on mutual respect and common interests in all areas.



 Singapore
1966-04-26[15]
See Japan–Singapore relations

 South Korea
1965-12[15]
See Japan–South Korea relations

Japan and South Korea have had many disputes. Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun rejected a conference with the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi following his visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. Other long-running issues between the two countries include The Sea of Japan naming dispute, territorial disputes over the Liancourt Rocks and disagreement about whether or not the matter of World War II-era forced prostitution has been resolved.



 Sri Lanka
1952[15]
See Japan–Sri Lanka relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Colombo.[57]

  • Sri Lanka has an embassy in Tokyo[58]



 Syria
1953-12


  • Japan has an embassy in Damascus

  • Syria has an Embassy of Syria in Tokyo.



 Taiwan
1952[15]
See Japan–Taiwan relations

Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 and was a major Japanese prefecture in World War II. Following the unconditional surrender of Japan to Allied Powers after World War II, Taiwan was relinquished by Japan as a stolen territory from China (like Manchukuo) by the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1951. Current relations are guided by the 1972 Japan–PRC Joint Communique. Since the joint Communique, Japan has maintained non-governmental, working-level relations with Taiwan. Japan refers to the Republic of China on Taiwan with the neutral name "Taiwan."



 Tajikistan
1992-01-26[15]
See Foreign relations of Tajikistan

 Thailand
1887-09-26[15]
See Japan–Thailand relations

Japan–Thailand relations span a period from the 17th century to the present. Contacts had an early start with Japanese trade on Red seal ships and the installation of Japanese communities on Siamese soil, only to be broken off with Japan's period of seclusion. Contacts resumed in the 19th century and developed to the point where Japan is today one of Thailand's foremost economic partners. Thailand and Japan share the distinction of never having lost sovereignty during the Colonial period.



 Turkey
1890s See Japan–Turkey relations

  • First embassies were opened in 1925.

  • Japan has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul.[59]

  • Turkey has an embassy in Tokyo.[60]

  • There are 10,000 Turks living in Japan.

  • Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Japan



 Turkmenistan
1992-01-26[15]
See Foreign relations of Turkmenistan

 United Arab Emirates
1972-05
Foreign relations of United Arab Emirates

 Uzbekistan
1992-01-26[15]
See Foreign relations of Uzbekistan

 Vietnam
1973-09-21[15]
See Japan–Vietnam relations

Vietnamese–Japanese relations stretch back to the at least the 16th century, when the two countries engaged in friendly trade. Modern relations between the two countries are based on Vietnam's developing economy and Japan's role as an investor and foreign aid donor.



 Yemen
1970 North Yemen; 1974 South Yemen


Europe[edit]





34th G8 summit (Tōyako Town, Hokkaidō)


In what became known as the Tenshō embassy, the first ambassadors from Japan to European powers reached Lisbon, Portugal in August 1584. From Lisbon, the ambassadors left for the Vatican in Rome, which was the main goal of their journey. The embassy returned to Japan in 1590, after which time the four nobleman ambassadors were ordained by Alessandro Valignano as the first Japanese Jesuit fathers.


A second embassy, headed by Hasekura Tsunenaga and sponsored by Date Masamune, was also a diplomatic mission to the Vatican. The embassy left 28 October 1613 from Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan, where Date was daimyō. It traveled to Europe by way of New Spain, arriving in Acapulco on 25 January 1614, Mexico City in March, Havana in July, and finally Seville on 23 October 1614. After a short stop-over in France, the embassy reached Rome in November 1615, where it was received by Pope Paul V. After return travel by way of New Spain and the Philippines, the embassy reached the harbor of Nagasaki in August 1620. While the embassy was gone, Japan had undergone significant change, starting with the 1614 Osaka Rebellion, leading to a 1616 decree from the Tokugawa shogunate that all interaction with non-Chinese foreigners was confined to Hirado and Nagasaki. In fact, the only western country that was allowed to trade with Japan was the Dutch Republic. This was the beginning of "sakoku", where Japan was essentially closed to the western world until 1854.



Modern era[edit]




Embassy of Japan in Bratislava, Slovakia.


Although cultural and non-economic ties with Western Europe grew significantly during the 1980s, the economic nexus remained by far the most important element of Japanese – West European relations throughout the decade. Events in West European relations, as well as political, economic, or even military matters, were topics of concern to most Japanese commentators because of the immediate implications for Japan. The major issues centred on the effect of the coming West European economic unification on Japan's trade, investment, and other opportunities in Western Europe. Some West European leaders were anxious to restrict Japanese access to the newly integrated European Union, but others appeared open to Japanese trade and investment. In partial response to the strengthening economic ties among nations in Western Europe and to the United States–Canada–Mexico North American Free Trade Agreement, Japan and other countries along the Asia-Pacific rim began moving in the late 1980s toward greater economic cooperation.


On 18 July 1991, after several months of difficult negotiations, Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu signed a joint statement with the Dutch prime minister and head of the European Community Council, Ruud Lubbers, and with the European Commission president, Jacques Delors, pledging closer Japanese – European Community consultations on foreign relations, scientific and technological cooperation, assistance to developing countries, and efforts to reduce trade conflicts. Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials hoped that this agreement would help to broaden Japanese – European Community political links and raise them above the narrow confines of trade disputes.











































































































































































































Country
Formal relations began
Notes

 Albania
1922-04;re-established in 1981
See Albania–Japan relations

Albania and Japan resumed established diplomatic relations in March 1981.[61]


  • Albania has an embassy in Tokyo.


 Austria
1869-10-18 See Austria–Japan relations

  • Austria has an embassy in Tokyo and 4 honorary consulates (in Hiroshima, Nagoya, Osaka and Sapporo).

  • Japan has an embassy in Vienna and an honorary consulate in Salzburg.



 Belgium
1866-08-01 See Belgium–Japan relations

 Bulgaria
1890s See Bulgaria–Japan relations

  • Bulgaria has an embassy in Tokyo and an honorary consulate in Yokohama.[62]

  • Japan has an embassy in Sofia.[63]

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Bulgaria



 Croatia
1992-03-05 See Croatia–Japan relations

 Cyprus
1960-08-16 See Foreign relations of Cyprus

 Czech Republic
1920-1-12 See Czech Republic–Japan relations[64]

 Denmark
1867 See Denmark–Japan relations

 Estonia
1921-01-26 See Foreign relations of Estonia#Relations by country

 European Union
1959 See Japan–European Union relations

 Finland
1919-09-06 See Foreign relations of Finland#Asia

 France
1858-10-09 See France–Japan relations

The history of Franco–Japanese relations (日仏関係, Nichi-Futsu kankei) goes back to the early 17th century, when a Japanese samurai and ambassador on his way to Rome landed for a few days in Southern France, creating a sensation. France and Japan have enjoyed a very robust and progressive relationship spanning centuries through various contacts in each other's countries by senior representatives, strategic efforts, and cultural exchanges.



 Germany
24 January 1861 See Germany–Japan relations

Regular meetings between the two countries have led to several cooperations. In 2004 German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi agreed upon cooperations in the assistance for reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan,[65][66] the promotion of economic exchange activities,[67] youth and sports exchanges[68] as well as exchanges and cooperation in science, technology and academic fields.[69]



 Greece
1899-06 See Greece–Japan relations

There has been a Greek embassy in Tokyo since 1960, and a Japanese embassy in Athens since the same year, when it was decided to upgrade the Japanese Consulate which had opened in 1956. Since then the two countries have enjoyed excellent relations in all fields, and cooperate closely.[70]



 Holy See
March 1942 See Holy See–Japan relations

The first Papal visit to Japan took place in 1981. the present Apostolic Nuncio to Japan is Joseph Chennoth (since 2011) Japan first sent an ambassador, Ken Harada, to the Vatican during World War II.



 Hungary
1921 See Hungary–Japan relations

  • Hungary has an embassy in Tokyo and two honorary consulates (in Hamamatsu and Osaka).[71]

  • Japan has an embassy in Budapest.[72]

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Hungary



 Iceland
8 December 1956 See Iceland–Japan relations

  • Iceland has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Reykjavík.



 Ireland
March 1957 See Ireland–Japan relations

  • Ireland has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Dublin.



 Italy
1867-03-31 See Italy–Japan relations

  • Italy has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Rome.



 Kosovo
2009-02-25 See Japan–Kosovo relations

Japan recognised it on 18 March 2008.[73] The first Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Kosovo is Akio Tanaka. He is subordinate to the Japanese Embassy in Vienna, Austria[74]



 Lithuania
1919;1991-10-10 See Japan–Lithuania relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Vilnius, established in 1997.[75]

  • In 1998, Lithuania has an embassy in Tokyo.[76]

  • Ambassador to Lithuania is Miyoko Akashi, ambassador to Japan is Dainius Kamaitis.

  • In 2007 the Emperor and Empress of Japan Akihito and Michiko paid an official visit in Lithuania.



 Luxembourg
1927-11[15]


 Macedonia
1994-03[15]

Both countries established diplomatic relations in March 1994.[77]



 Malta
See Japan–Malta relations

  • Malta has a consulate in Tokyo.

  • Japan has a consulate in Valletta.



 Moldova
1992-03-16

  • Japan has a non resident ambassador in Ukraine.

  • Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Nicolae Tăbăcaru paid a visit to Japan from 31 January to 4 February 1999. It was a first official visit of a Cabinet Member of the Republic of Moldova to Japan. The visit has strengthened the friendly relations between Japan and the Republic of Moldova.

  • Since 2000 Japan implements in Moldova the grant programme for the improvement of agriculture and private farming.

  • Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in China

  • Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova

  • Japanese ministry of foreign affairs about Moldova



 Montenegro
24 July 2006 See Japan–Montenegro relations

Japan recognised Montenegro on 16 June 2006 and established diplomatic relations on 24 July 2006. Montenegro had declared war on Japan in 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War and never signed a peace treaty until 2006, shortly before the opening of diplomatic relations. The war lasted for 101 years. Trade, mostly related to electronics, exports from Japan to Montenegro (163 million yen per annum) outweigh Japan's imports (2 million yen per annum).



  • Japan is accredited to Montenegro from its embassy in Belgrade, Serbia.

  • Montenegro is accredited to Japan from its embassy in Beijing, China.



 Netherlands
1609 See Japan–Netherlands relations

The relations between Japan and the Netherlands after 1945 have been a triangular relationship. The invasion and Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies during World War II brought about the destruction of the colonial state in Indonesia, as the Japanese removed as much of the Dutch government as they could, weakening the post-war grip the Netherlands had over the territory. Under pressure from the United States, the Netherlands recognised Indonesian sovereignty in 1949 (see United States of Indonesia).



  • Japan has an embassy in The Hague.

  • Netherlands has an embassy in Tokyo.



 Norway
1905-11 See Foreign relations of Norway

  • Japan has an embassy in Oslo.

  • Norway has an embassy in Tokyo.



 Poland
1919-03 See Japan–Poland relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Warsaw.

  • Poland has an embassy in Tokyo



 Portugal
1860-08-03 See Japan–Portugal relations

 Romania
1902-06-18 See Foreign relations of Romania#Asia: East Asia

  • The first representation of Romania in Japan was opened in 1921

  • Japan was represented in Romania through its embassy in Vienna (Austria).

  • After World War II, both states resumed their diplomatic relations in 1959.

  • Japan has an embassy in Bucharest.[78]

  • Romania has an embassy in Tokyo and four honorary consulates (in Atami, Osaka, Nagoya and Yokohama).[79]

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign affairs about relations with Romania



 Russia
1855-02-07 See Japan–Russia relations

Japan's relations with Russia are hampered by the two sides' inability to resolve their territorial dispute over the four islands that make up the Northern Territories (Kuriles), which the Soviet Union seized towards the end of World War II. The stalemate has prevented conclusion of a peace treaty formally ending the war. The dispute over the Kuril Islands exacerbated the Japan–Russo relations when the Japanese government published a new guideline for school textbooks on 16 July 2008 to teach Japanese children that their country has sovereignty over the Kuril Islands. The Russian public was outraged by the action the Foreign Minister of Russia criticized the action while reaffirming its sovereignty over the islands.[80][81]



 Serbia
reestablished in 1952 See Japan–Serbia relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Belgrade.

  • Serbia has an embassy in Tokyo and an honorary consulate in Osaka.



 Slovenia
1992-10-12


  • Japan has an embassy in Ljubljana.[82]

  • Slovenia has an embassy in Tokyo.[83]

  • Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Slovenia



 Spain
First contact in 1584, officialized in 1868. Relations were broken on Apr. 11, 1945 and reestablished in 1952
See Japan–Spain relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Madrid and consulates in Barcelona and Las Palmas.

  • Spain has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Since 1997, every year a Japan–Spain Symposium for the cultural exchange between the two countries is held.

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Spain

  • Spanish Embassy in Tokyo about Spanish relations with Japan



 Sweden
1868[15]
See Japan–Sweden relations

  • Japan has an embassy in Stockholm.

  • Sweden has an embassy in Tokyo.



  Switzerland
February 6, 1864

  • Japan has an embassy in Bern and a general consulate in Geneva.[84][85]

  • Switzerland has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Switzerland

  • Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with Japan



 Ukraine
1992-01-26 See Japan–Ukraine relations

  • Japan extended diplomatic recognition to the Ukrainian state on 28 December 1991, immediately after the breakup of the Soviet Union

  • Ukraine maintains an embassy in Tokyo.[86]

  • Japan maintains an embassy in Kiev.[87]



 United Kingdom
1854-10-14 See Japan–United Kingdom relations

The relationship between the United Kingdom and Japan began in 1600 with the arrival of William Adams (Adams the Pilot, Miura Anjin) on the shores of Kyūshū at Usuki in Ōita Prefecture. During the Sakoku period (1641–1853) there were no relations, but the treaty of 1854 saw the resumption of ties which, despite the hiatus of the Second World War, remain very strong in the present day. Today, the United Kingdom views Japan as its closest ally in the Asia Pacific region, while Japan views the UK as its closest ally in Europe.




Oceania[edit]

























































































Country
Formal Relations Began
Notes

 Australia
1947[15]
See Australia–Japan relations



Katsuya Okada (left), Hillary Clinton (centre) and Stephen Smith (right)


Australia–Japan relations have generally warm as well as acknowledged mutuality of strong interests, beliefs and friendship, and has since continued to grow strongly over the years. However, memories of World War II linger among the older members of the Australian public, as does a contemporary fear of Japanese economic domination over countries, particularly Australia, although such fears have fallen off in response to Japan's economic stagnation in the 1990s. At the same time, government and business leaders see Japan as a vital export market and an essential element in Australia's strong future growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.


Australia is also a major source of food and raw materials for Japan. In 1990 Australia accounted for 5.3 percent of total Japanese imports, a share that held relatively steady in the late 1980s. Due to its ability to export raw materials, Australia had a trade surplus with Japan. Australia was the largest single supplier of coal, iron ore, wool, and sugar to Japan in 1990. Australia is also a supplier of uranium. Japanese investment by 1988 made Australia the single largest source of Japanese regional imports. Resource development projects in Australia attracted Japanese capital, as did trade protectionism by necessitating local production for the Australian market. Investments in Australia totaled US$8.1 billion in 1988, accounting for 4.4 percent of Japanese direct investment abroad.
There is some tension regarding the issue of whaling.



 Cook Islands
2011-03-25[15]
See Foreign relations of Cook Islands

 Fiji
1970-10-01[15]
See Foreign relations of Fiji

 Kiribati
1980-03[15]
See Foreign relations of Kiribati

 Marshall Islands
1988-12-09[15]
See Foreign relations of Marshall Islands

 Federated States of Micronesia
1988-08-05[15]
See Foreign relations of Federated States of Micronesia

 Nauru
1968-01-31[15]
See Foreign relations of Nauru

 New Zealand
1952[15]
See Japan–New Zealand relations

Japan–New Zealand relations have had generally cordial relations since the post-World War II period, with Japan being a major trading partner with New Zealand. These relations have held together despite policy disputes over whaling and the International Whaling Commission.


In 2011, New Zealand sent an urban search and rescue team, which had spent the previous three weeks searching buildings after the Christchurch quake, and 15 tonnes of rescue equipment to assist Japan following the Great East Japan earthquake and the subsequent of Fukushima nuclear disaster.[88]New Zealand Parliament sends condolences to a millions of Japanese people and the government donated $2m to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support relief efforts.[89][90]



  • New Zealand has an embassy in Tokyo.

  • Japan has an embassy in Wellington and two consulates-general in Auckland and Christchurch.



 Niue
2015-08-04[15]
See Foreign relations of Niue

 Palau
1994-11-02[15]
See Japan–Palau relations

 Papua New Guinea
1975-09[15]
See Foreign relations of Papua New Guinea

 Samoa
1971[15]
See Foreign relations of Samoa

 Solomon Islands
1978-09[15]
See Foreign relations of Solomon Islands

 Tonga
1970[15]
See Japan–Tonga relations

Japan and the Kingdom of Tonga have maintained official diplomatic relations since July 1970.[91] Japan is Tonga's leading donor in the field of technical aid.[91] The Japanese government describes its relations with Tonga as "excellent", and states that "the Imperial family of Japan and the Royal family of Tonga have developed a cordial and personal relationship over the years".[91]



 Tuvalu
1979-04[15]
See Foreign relations of Tuvalu

 Vanuatu
1981-01[15]
See Foreign relations of Vanuatu


Debates and frictions[edit]






Japan has formally issued apologies for its military occupations before and during World War II, but that has done little in helping to improve its relations with its neighbors, especially China, North Korea and South Korea. They still insist that Japan has yet to formally express remorse for its wrongdoings in the 20th century, despite some formal statements of regret from Prime Ministers Hosokawa Morihiro and Murayama Tomiichi. Japan’s official stance is that all war-related reparation claims have been resolved (except with North Korea). Unofficial visits to the controversial Yasukuni Jinja by past Prime Ministers belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party and the exclusion or generalization of some elements of Japan’s military history in a number school textbooks have also clouded the issue. In 2004, China and the two Koreas criticized Japan for sending its Ground Self Defence Forces to Iraq, which was seen as signalling a return to militarism. The government of Japan insisted that its forces would only participate in reconstruction and humanitarian aid missions.


As a result, there is a strong anti-Japanese sentiment in China and the two Koreas. Antagonism is not inevitable however. Both Japan and South Korea successfully hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup, bridging a physical and political gap between the two countries. The great popularity in Japan of Bae Yong-joon, a South Korean actor, has also been seen as a sign that the two countries have moved closer together.



Disputed territories[edit]



Japan has several territorial disputes with its neighbors concerning the control of certain outlying islands.


Japan contests Russia's control of the Southern Kuril Islands (including Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group) which were occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945.[92]South Korea's assertions concerning Liancourt Rocks (Japanese: "Takeshima", Korean: "Dokdo") are acknowledged, but not accepted by Japan.[93] Japan has strained relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (Taiwan) over the Senkaku Islands;[94] and with the People's Republic of China over the status of Okinotorishima.


These disputes are in part about irredentism; and they are also about the control of marine and natural resources, such as possible reserves of crude oil and natural gas.



See also[edit]




  • Foreign policy of Japan

  • List of diplomatic missions in Japan

  • List of diplomatic missions of Japan

  • List of Japanese overseas military actions

  • List of war apology statements issued by Japan

  • Hotta Masayoshi

  • Visa requirements for Japanese citizens



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 This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies website http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/.



Further reading[edit]



  • Barnhart, Michael A. Japan and the World since 1868 (1995) excerpt

  • Buckley, Roger. US-Japan Alliance Diplomacy 1945-1990 (1992)

  • Duus, Peter, ed. The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol. 6: The Twentieth Century (1989).

  • Hook, Glenn D. et al. Japan's international relations: Politics, economics and security (3rd ed. 2011), covers 1945-2010.

  • Kibata, Y. and I. Nish, eds. The History of Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1600-2000: Volume I: The Political-Diplomatic Dimension, 1600-1930 (2000) excerpt, first of five topical volumes also covering social, economic and military relations between Japan and Great Britain.

  • Inoguchi, Takashi. Japan's Foreign Policy in an Era of Global Change (2013).

  • Iriye, Akira. Japan and the wider world: from the mid-nineteenth century to the present (1997)

  • Lafeber, Walter. The Clash: A History of U.S.-Japan Relations (1997), a standard scholarly history

  • Malafaia, Thiago Corrêa. "Japanese International Relations: an assessment of the 1971-2011 period." Brazilian Political Science Review 10.1 (2016). online in English

  • Scalapino, Robert A. The Foreign Policy of Modern Japan (1977) online

  • Shimamoto, Mayako, Koji Ito and Yoneyuki Sugita, eds. Historical Dictionary of Japanese Foreign Policy (2015) excerpt

  • Togo, Kazuhiko. Japan's Foreign Policy 1945-2003 (Brill, 2005) online



External links[edit]



  • Various articles and discussion papers on Japan's foreign relations in the electronic journal of contemporary Japanese studies

  • Rwanda: Kagame Addresses Japanese Senate


  • Videos on Japan's Relations with the US from the Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives













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