PhD Title

The Role of Yasukuni Shrine in China's Japan Policy

Supervisors

Dr. Caroline Rose, Dr. Kweku Ampiah and Dr. Marjorie Dryburgh (from The University of Sheffield)

Research Study

The period of Koizumi Junichiro's tenure as Prime Minister of Japan saw the most serious deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations since their normalisation in 1972. This was exemplified by the opprobrium emanating from China, at both the societal and political levels, in response to each of Koizumi's six visits to Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine during his time as Prime Minister.

The aims of this study are threefold. The first is to deconstruct the "Chinese" response to Koizumi's actions. By rejecting the notion of a monolithic "China" we can reveal the processes by which the shrine controversy was interpreted, presented and contested within the overall production of China's Japan policy, allowing us to see the roles of various actors within these processes. The second aim is a review of the Sino-Japanese relationship during the Koizumi-era. With the benefit of hindsight, it is now possible to offer a fuller assessment of the relationship's condition during the years Koizumi was in power. Finally, the study aims to assess what impact, if any, Koizumi's repeated shrine-visits had on the structure of Sino-Japanese relations. While both sides have worked hard since Koizumi left office to improve political ties, it would be beneficial to consider the affect that this period of time had on the general course of the relationship. In so doing, it may be possible to provide the basis of an IR-grounded theory of Sino-Japanese relations, which, when placed in the context of other studies of periods of bilateral tension, will improve our understanding of this critical relationship.

Background

After a varied career that included pub management and computer sales, a voluntary teaching position in China gave me a taste for all things Chinese and a BA in International Relations put that into some perspective. A fascination with the Sino-Japanese relationship led me to pursue Masters degrees in both Chinese and Japanese Studies before embarking on this PhD.

Email: mleg@leeds.ac.uk