Japan and Reconciliation in Post-war Asia The Murayama Statement and Its Implications

'Hopelessness about Japan's reconciliation over history with its neighbors is best addressed not by wishful thinking but by refocusing on the Murayama Statement of 1995. This important apology was underappreciated by China and South Korea and also denounced by many Japanese conservatives. Yet, this carefully presented book shows that it is a genuine apology, which could serve as a building block for greater trust. Kazuhiko Togo combines diplomatic insight and scholarly analysis in his clear overview and balanced coverage of the view from Japan. The other authors follow a similar model in detailing the reception the Murayama Statement received. With the right range of topics, this book points to the statement's possible future implications. To realize them requires taking seriously the search for common ground, something unlikely to occur if the Murayama Statement continues to be dismissed. This book not only fills a gap in coverage of the critical decade for historical memory of the 1990s, but also serves as a wake-up call for those interested in understanding and altering the course of international relations in East Asia.' - Gilbert Rozman, Musgrave Professor of Sociology, Princeton University, USA