China-Japan Rapprochement and the United States: In the Wake of Nixon's Visit to Beijing

Description

Based on extensive original research including interviews with key participants, this book examines how, following Richard Nixon’s famous visit to China in 1972, Japan established formal diplomatic relations with China, doing so before the United States and other Western countries. It considers the key personalities – Prime Minister Tanaka and Foreign Minister Ōhira on the Japanese side, and Zhou Enlai on the Chinese side, outlines how the discussions unfolded, and discusses the key issues which divided the two sides and how these issues were resolved: Japanese war reparations to China, how the two countries perceived their past, how Taiwan should be treated, and possession of the Senkaku Islands. The book also shows how Tanaka and Ōhira sought to reconcile China–Japan relations with the US–Japan Security Treaty and to continue non-governmental exchanges with Taiwan following the severing of relations. Overall, the book emphasises that the nature of the relationship established in 1972 continues to be very important for understanding present day China–Japan relations. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents List of figures and tables Preface List of acronyms Timeline Usage notes Introduction: the road to Beijing 1 Tanaka Kakuei and Ōhira Masayoshi: two types of leadership 2 The Nixon Shock – moving beyond Satō 3 Formation of the Tanaka government and the Takeiri Memo – first approaches to China 4 Under America’s Shadow – the Tanaka–Nixon summit in Hawaii 5 Taiwan – the Shiina–Chiang talks as Kanjinchō 6 Tanaka’s visit to China and the “Meiwaku” speech (September 25) 7 Zhou Enlai’s “Bluff” and Ōhira Masayoshi’s “Trump Card” (September 26) 8 The Senkaku Islands and Tanaka’s meeting with Mao (September 27) 9 The Sino-Japanese joint statement and severing of relations with Taiwan (September 28–30) Conclusion: the spirit of Sino-Japanese peace References Index