Japan?s Territorial Disputes and Scholarship: Elaborating the Official Positions.

The presentation will provide an extensive analysis of the ways in which Japan?s central government has been viewing and propagating its official positions as they apply to Japan?s three major maritime disputes, namely the ?Senkakus issue? centering around control over the Senkaku islands (Diaoyu) and involving mainland China, Taiwan and Japan, the ?Takeshima issue? centering around control over the Takeshima islets (Dokdo) and involving South Korea, DPRK and Japan, and the ?Kuriles issue? centering around control over the Kurile islands chain and involving Russia and Japan. The period covered will extend from early 1950?s until the present moment.Interpretations of territorial disputes being particularly influenced by scholarly views, the critical focus of the presentation will be directed towards examining the ways in which the central government has been using relevant scholarly works and advice in order to establish Japan?s official positions regarding territorial issues. Particular attention will be paid to party politics and ideological divisions during the Cold War period as well as policies peculiar to those local constituencies which raise territorial claims based on the nature of their geographical positions, namely claims raised by the Hokkaido District (Japan-Russia dispute), Shimane Prefecture (Japan-Koreas dispute) and Okinawa Prefecture (Japan-Chinas dispute). The presentation will provide a critical appraisal of moral responsibilities involved in the discussed issues. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]