Diplomacy Of Ideology Of Japan After The World War Ⅱ

After the Meiji Restoration, Japan gradually developed its reverence for the European and American powers. In emulating the Western science and culture, Japan kept on narrowing the gap between the Japanese and the Western political institutions, and formulated its capitalist regime which combined with its traditional feudalist thoughts. After the Second World War, the feudalist residues in Japan have generally been eliminated, and the Japanese values were reconstructed after the Western models of liberty and democracy; the Western concepts have been comprehensively incorporated into the Japanese ideology. During the Cold War, Japan initiated the diplomacy of ideology based on its Western values. Despite of certain phases when emphasis was laid on pragmatism rather than ideology, the Japanese diplomacy retained a strong color of ideology for the entire period. This tradition has a significant influence on the present 'diplomacy of values' of Japan.In serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Shinzo Abe, Taro Aso proposed the concept of 'diplomacy of values' and attempted to construct the 'arc of liberty and prosperity' thereupon. Doubtlessly, this 'diplomacy of values' is a new development of Japan's diplomacy of ideology. This 'diplomacy of values' was for a time left aside by the cabinet of Yasuo Fukuda, but revived by the Aso, a fervent supporter for this diplomatic approach, who succeeded Fukuda as Prime Minister. Historical evidence has proven that Japan would receive the largest national interests when the ideological considerations are reduced and the national interests would be adversely impacted when such considerations are enshrined. In case that the values is once again taken by Aso as the standard for diplomatic conducts, Japan's diplomacy and its strategic and mutually beneficial relationship with China will be significantly undermined.