EVENTS

Abstract

This presentation discusses how fervent nationalistic sentiments in China, Japan and Korea and regional antagonism in the East Asian politics have put these countries at loggerheads over unresolved issues. The political development in the post-Cold War period, death of Emperor Hirohito, emergence of democracy in South Korea and suppression of the pro-democracy movement at Tiananmen Square helped catapult these unresolved grievances into the spotlight during the 1990s. Over the years bilateral relations in East Asia have often been affected due to these historical factors. Since the former Governor of Tokyo Ishihara Shintaro announced his plan to purchase the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands from a private owner in April 2012, disputes over the islands in the East China Sea has escalated considerably. The decision of buying the disputed island has inflamed public opinion in China and South Korea, which caused a backlash in Japan. This has also created an opportunity for Japanese conservatives to promote their longstanding agenda and resolving tensions in East Asia appears to be increasingly difficult.

About the Speaker

Jeff Kingston is the Director of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan where he has been teaching since 1987. He holds a PhD in History and an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University and graduated from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service. He has edited two books on Japan's 3.11 disasters and written several articles on the politics of nuclear energy in Japan along with a monograph on civil society and judicial reform. The second edition of his bookContemporary Japan was published in 2013 and his edited collection Critical Issues in Contemporary Japan has been published recently. His current interest is nationalism in Asia with a focus on India, Indonesia, China, South Korea and Japan.