Doraemon and Crouching Tiger - Examining China's and Japan's Soft Power Resources.

Joseph Nye's concept of soft power has become an integral part of the IR academic discourse. Yet, any debate about the role of attraction in world politics is largely focusing on the U.S. Where is Asia in this equation?This paper will look at the concept of soft power and how it applies to Northeast Asia. Being the most powerful actors in the region, this study will focus predominantly on China and Japan. My overarching research question is two-fold: Firstly, is East Asian soft power a mere side-effect of rapid economic growth or does it exists independently? Secondly, which of the two examined nations has greater potential to influence world affairs by virtue of its soft power resources? Due to the elusive character of soft power, this analysis will cover a lot of ground. I will scrutinize the two cases along three parameters: culture, agenda-setting powers and foreign policy. Accordingly, my methodology will be based on a comparative case study.I will demonstrate how Beijing and Tokyo are formulating cultural policies to make their respective national heritage accessible and attractive throughout the region and indeed the entire world. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]