<DIV>All the world's major powers have undertaken an unprecedented overhaul of their foreign policy objectives and ideals since the end of the Cold War. In the case of Japan, the rise of China, the end of post-war isolationism and fluctuating economic principles have led to a reassessment of how it deals with the world. Untangling the conflicts between Japan's traditionally pacifist stance with its desire to co-operate with US foreign policy and play a leading role in trans-national organizations and counter-terrorism, Mutsumi Hirano draws on key policy documents and empirical evidence to show how Japan has failed to articulate these broadening ambitions - both to the wider world and to itself. Arguing for a comprehensive foreign policy vision, this book assesses the major trends in Japanese foreign policy thinking from 1989 up to the present - providing an insight into the visions and principles which drive this world power. </p></div>