Japan and the Pacific Free Trade Area (Sheffield Centre for Japanese Studies Routledge)

As the end of the century approaches the Asian-Pacific region is becoming the most important economic area in the world. Since 1965 when the idea of a Pacific Free trade Area (PAFTA), was proposed by Kojima Kiyoshi there have been rising levels of integration and cooperation between the Asian-Pacific countries. Pekka Korhonen examines the nature of Japan's economic rise since World War II and its economic and political relations with other nations in the Pacific area as a result of that economic prowess. This in turn led to an optimistic world outlook for Japan, in which political and military tensions could be wiped away as a result of sustained regional economic growth and the formation of an interdependent structure for Asian-Pacific countries. With the so called Pacific century nearly upon us this highly original work will be of great interest to all those engaged in the study of Pacific economic growth and integration.