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The issue of Japan's regional role is a source of concern & uncertainty for its Asian neighbours. By focusing primarily on Japan's relationship with China as well as the United States, this article first examines the concept of transformational leadership. It then discusses regionalism in the Asian Pacific arena, Japan's possible leadership role, & the changing dynamics of power distribution in the region for the past two decades. The challenge for Japan is that it must develop a joint leadership role with China in order to integrate the region as has been done in Europe & North America. In the economic dimension, such cooperation & integration is already well-developed, although limitations still remain. The most difficult problems lay in strategic & political dimensions. Japan's relations with China continue to be affected by two major factors, namely historical legacies (war memories) & the United States' role in the region (particularly with regard to the issue of Taiwan). 25 References. Adapted from the source document.

The issue of Japan's regional role is a source of concern and uncertainty for its Asian neighbours. By focusing primarily on Japan's relationship with China as well as the United States, this article first examines the concept of transformational leadership. It then discusses regionalism in the Asian Pacific arena, Japan's possible leadership role, and the changing dynamics of power distribution in the region for the past two decades. The challenge for Japan is that it must develop a joint leadership role with China in order to integrate the region as has been done in Europe and North America. In the economic dimension, such cooperation and integration is already well-developed, although limitations still remain. The most difficult problems lay in strategic and political dimensions. Japan's relations with China continue to be affected by two major factors, namely historical legacies (war memories) and the United States' role in the region (particularly with regard to the issue of Taiwan).

The author looks at the current state of international relations in the Asia-Pacific, noting two fundamental changes: (1) The international system is now a unipolar power structure with the US as the dominant force. (2) Regional community-building efforts have intensified with the emergence of organizations like the EU & APEC. Zhao then examines approaches to dealing with security issues in international relations. Political & diplomatic issues in international relations are also examined. Of particular concern in the diplomatic area is dealing with countries with asymmetric power, the role of history & culture in the decision-making process, & human rights concerns. It is stated that the ultimate question for the future of Asia-Pacific international relations is whether a new cold war will emerge between the US & the People's Republic of China. Another scenario would be a post-11 Sept 2001 framework that would include a constructive atmosphere. It is concluded that a broad awareness of East Asian international relations is significant given the rising status of the region in world affairs as well as the continuing change in power relations. J. Backman