Sino-Japanese relations : a typical case of realism.

Abstract

This dissertation intends to explore the fundamental driving forces which are pushing Sino- Japanese relations to be dispute-prone. On Japan's side, based on the fact that China has not actually challenged Japan, this research infers that Japan has been suffering the anxiety of power transition and is adopting defensive policy towards China. On China's side, although China is currently not a challenger or revisionist state to Japan and international order, some symptoms of increasing lateral pressure have shown in China, which could push China to act like an expansionist state to Japan. The lingering anxiety of Japan and the expansion pressure of China could be the two fundamental forces driving Sino-Japanese relations to be problematic.