Schoenbaum, Thomas J

Summary
This book takes an in-depth look at Japan’s long-festering territorial and maritime disputes with its three neighbors – China, South Korea and the Russian Federation. Japan has established friendly relations with all three former adversaries since the end of World War II, but these sovereignty issues remain. All three disagreements have recently flared into potentially violent incidents that could erupt again at any time. The book explores each situation and proposes concrete compromise solutions to each of the outstanding disputes.
The key recommendation the book sets forth is that the disputes in question be resolved through the conclusion of separate negotiated agreements between Japan and each of its neighbors, whereby separate Zones of Cooperation and Environmental Protection are established in northeast Asia. These three agreements would be international treaties with the purpose of establishing ongoing permanent cooperation in the three disputed areas. The book concludes with a discussion of the need for broader multilateral institutions of cooperation.
International relations specialists, government officials, international lawyers and scholars of Asian politics will find great value in the knowledgeable discussions of these complex issues.