Cold War Frontiers in the Asia-Pacific: Divided Territories in the San Francisco System

After the Second World War, many regional conflicts emerged in the Asia-Pacific, such as the divided Korean Peninsula; the Cross-Taiwan Strait; the Southern Kuriles and "Northern Territories"; Tokdo and Takeshima; Diaoyu and Senkaku; and the Spratly and Nansha islands problems. These and other disputes, such as the Okinawa problem in relation to US presence in the region, all share an important common foundation in the post-war disposition of Japan, particularly the 1951 Peace Treaty. Signed by 49 countries in San Francisco, this multilateral treaty largely determined the post-war political and security order in the region and, with its associated security arrangements, laid the foundation for the regional Cold War structure, namely the 'San Francisco System'. This book examines the history and contemporary implications of the 'San Francisco System' with particular focus on its frontier problems. Drawing on extensive archival research and current day analysis, Kimie Hara uncovers key links betweenthe regional problems in the Asia-Pacific and their underlying association with Japan, and explores clues for their future resolution within the multilateral context in which they originated. Cold War Frontiers in the Asia-Pacific will appeal to students and scholars interested in international relations, diplomatic history, and Japanese politics and history.

Kimie Hara is the Renison Research Professor in East Asian Studies and Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, and a research fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Canada.