Book Description

. . . this book provides a logically written explanation of legalistic matters that otherwise would be hard to approach for the layman. . . The arguments laid out in this book are clear and precise and postulate a need for mutual co-operation and an ecological use of resources as well as the importance for regional actors to use international legal institutions as a conduit to peaceful resolution and mutual benefit. Markus Bell, East Asia Integration Studies . . . the book successfully outlines the essential points of the disputes and proposes the establishment of regional fora for security and development. Gibeom Kim, Political Studies Review 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.