Separating Economy from Politics? Japan’s Coexistence Strategy with Two Chinas in the 1960s

Why did Japan insist on a policy of “separation of economy from politics” in the 1960s? This policy had ambiguous and contradictory ideas in its definition and practice. This article aims to explain the policy of the separation of economy from politics with empirical methodology. It attempts a content analysis of the Japanese “Diplomatic Bluebook” that was published from 1957 to 1972. The research’s most important finding is that this policy needs to be understood in light of identity the Chinese representation issue. Japan designed this policy to find a way of standing against the “One China” policy that the PRC and the ROC insisted upon. The policy was an expression of Japan’s strategy for coexistence with two Chinas. It reflected Japan’s dilemma, in which it was caught between Cold War international constraints and its own national interests in both personal and economic exchanges. As a result, the policy functioned as both a facilitator and a retardant of bilateral cooperation. KCI Citation Count: 3