| Abstract: | The United States has adopted a high-profile approach to pressure Asian governments to improve human rights and move toward democracy. Japan, in contrast, has avoided confronting its Asian neighbors over human rights while balancing between Asia and the West. Japan’s reluctance, in supporting the U.S., except in the multilateral context, has strengthened the position of Asian nations sanctioned by the West. Japan’s approach is explained by its lack of interests and convictions about promoting human rights in Asia, its past aggression in the region, the absence of explicit United States pressure on Japan and the deterrent effect of strong Asian opposition to foreign intervention on human rights. An earlier version of this article was presented at the International Studies Association Conference in Minneapolis in March 1998. I appreciate Davis Bobrow, Peter Li, Ryo Oshiba and Motoko Shuto for their very useful comments. Any errors in the paper are of course mine alone. |
