A Study On The Relationship Between Burma And Japan During The Cold War

Sanctions of western countries against Myanmar became more and more easing after Myanmar democratic election in 2010. Myanmar also ushered in relatively loose international environment since 1988. Relatively ’cold’ Myanmar-Japan bilateral relations are not further limited by negative influence due to U.S. sanctions against Myanmar followed by Japan under the underground of ’the U.S. followed by Japan’ then. The reason is analyzed. The author believes that the situation is related to ’special relation’ formed in the history of both countries. Furthermore, Myanmar-Japan relations were rapidly developed since elected government came to power, it is so called ’rainbow after the rain’. On the basis, the author believes that it is necessary to sort and analyze Myanmar-Japan relations during cold war period. The history factors of Myanmar-Japan relation changes in recent years can be discovered, and some experience and lessons can be summarized, thereby providing some beneficial enlightenment for China during treatment of Sino- Myanmar relations.The paper is totally divided into four chapters. Myanmar-Japan relations before cold war are overviewed briefly in the first chapter. The direction of Myanmar-Japan relations during cold war period is comprehended better through describing the history factors for forming special relations between two countries. Next, relations between two countries during cold war period are sorted as a whole in the second chapter. The history traces of bilateral relation changes are controlled. Wherein, the author regards the perspective of previous governments in Myanmar as a starting point for describing three different stages between two countries during the whole cold war period successively, namely Thakin Nu government established diplomatic relations with Japan, Ne Win government kept frequent high-level interactions between Japan, and new military government promoted relations of both countries in ups and downs in the face of changing international environment. Then, on the basis of sorting history traces between both countries in the second chapter, two aspects of respective internal factors of Myanmar and Japan, and external factors in the U.S., China, etc. during cold war period are regarded as main contents in the third chapter and the fourth chapter for exploring, analyzing and concluding internal and external factors of Myanmar-Japan bilateral relation changes during cold war period. Finally, the author gives some more pertinent evaluations on the bilateral relations under the premise of own understanding on relations between Myanmar and Japan during cold war period.