Interpreting History in Sino-Japanese Relations: A Case Study in Political Decision Making

Abstract

Sino-Japanese relations were beset by a series of political controversies throughout the 1980s. These related to matters of past history and in particular Japan's record of aggression in China during World War II. The attempt by the Japanese Education Ministry in 1982 to downplay atrocities through the re-writing of school textbooks created a diplomatic storm. This book examines the decision-making processes of the Chinese and Japanese governments during the textbook issue. It reveals that Chinese and Japanese policy-makers were in fact more concerned with changes taking place in international and domestic politics than with adopting a correct view of history. By drawing upon findings from the fields of area studies and international relations, rather than just history, Caroline Rose demonstrates the value of adopting an interdisciplinary approach to understanding Sino-Japanese relations and the textbook issue in particular.