Japan » International Relations

Membership of International Groupings/ Organisations International Monetary Fund (IMF) International Maritime Organisation (IMO) World Tourism Organisation (WTO) World Health Organisation (WHO) United Nations (UN)

Japan's Relations with the US

The US remains Japan's principal foreign policy and economic partner and the security relationship is central to Japan's defence policy. Under the Koizumi Cabinet, Japan has taken on a more active role in the security relationship, and Japanese support for the war on terrorism, along with the absence of major trade frictions, has contributed to a warming of relations.

Japan normalised relations with China in 1972 and the two countries have strong, and growing, economic links. But there is also considerable friction in the relationship. In China, there are still bitter memories of Japanese actions there in the pre-1945 period, which have been magnified by Koizumi’s visits to the Yasukuni shrine honouring Japan’s war dead.

Japan's Relations with Asia

The Japanese economy is by far the largest in Asia. Japan made a major contribution to help South-east Asian countries affected by the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. Japan is by far the largest investor and bilateral aid donor in the ASEAN region.