Hugo Dobson

Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. Despite growing international interest in the position and power of the Japanese prime minister, there is little existing research on what happens after these figures leave office. Examining both pre-war and post-war Japan, this book investigates what Japanese prime ministers have done after stepping down and what influence they have continued to exert. Based on research in English and Japanese including biographies, memoirs and interviews, the book examines the specific activities former prime ministers engage in, assessing their motivations and the effect of informal politics in Japan on their successes and failures. Ultimately, the book answers the simple but often unanswered question of ‘where are they now’ and writes the unwritten post-resignation biographies of Japan’s prime ministers.

With a novel focus on the individual members of the G20, this innovative book explores the perspectives and behaviours of those within the global summit, unpacking what they are seeking to achieve, how they go about doing this, and the domestic impact of the G20. Providing insights from the summit, Hugo Dobson comprehensively analyses the G20’s development and practices from the perspectives of the nineteen member states and one inter-governmental organisation that have shaped it. Chapters examine members’ reactions to the upgrading of the G20 to a summit of leaders in 2008, its development thereafter into the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and the expansion of its agenda beyond macroeconomic issues to a range of global collective action problems. Looking at its future from a country-specific perspective, Dobson concludes that the G20 will continue to engage with stakeholders and evolve in terms of its membership, as seen in the decision at the 2023 Delhi summit to include the African Union, thereby providing a basis for future research on its members’ perspectives, positions and behaviours. This multidisciplinary book will be an invigorating read for students of international relations and politics, global governance, sustainable development, climate change and energy transitions, and security and terrorism. Its exclusive insights will also be of use to policymakers and third sector organisations who are stakeholders in the G20 process.

With a novel focus on the individual members of the G20, this innovative book explores the perspectives and behaviours of those within the global summit, unpacking what they are seeking to achieve, how they go about doing this, and the domestic impact of the G20. Providing insights from the summit, Hugo Dobson comprehensively analyses the G20’s development and practices from the perspectives of the nineteen member states and one inter-governmental organisation that have shaped it. Chapters examine members’ reactions to the upgrading of the G20 to a summit of leaders in 2008, its development thereafter into the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and the expansion of its agenda beyond macroeconomic issues to a range of global collective action problems. Looking at its future from a country-specific perspective, Dobson concludes that the G20 will continue to engage with stakeholders and evolve in terms of its membership, as seen in the decision at the 2023 Delhi summit to include the African Union, thereby providing a basis for future research on its members’ perspectives, positions and behaviours. This multidisciplinary book will be an invigorating read for students of international relations and politics, global governance, sustainable development, climate change and energy transitions, and security and terrorism. Its exclusive insights will also be of use to policymakers and third sector organisations who are stakeholders in the G20 process.

This book analyses Japan's international relations and participation in the multilateral forum, the G8, since its creation in 1975. The author explores the motivation of the Japanese government and non-governmental actor's aims and objectives and examines how and to what extent they have been achieved. Presenting a wealth of new research this theoretically informed book will be of interest to those studying interntional relations and Japanese politics.

The latest edition of this comprehensive and user-friendly textbook provides a single volume resource for all those studying Japan's international relations. It offers a clear and concise introduction to the most important aspects of Japan's role in the globalized economy of the twenty-first century. The book has been fully updated and revised to include comprehensive discussions of contemporary key issues for Japan’s IR, including: the rise of China; reaction to the global economic and financial crisis since 2008; Japan’s proactive role after 9/11 and the war on terror; responses to events on the Korean Peninsula; relations with the USA and the Obama administration; relations with Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East; changing responses to an expanding and deepening European Union. Extensively illustrated, the text includes statistics, maps, photographs, summaries and suggestions for further reading, making it essential reading for those studying Japanese politics and the international relations of the Asia Pacific. A note on the cover:The cover illustration entitled 'Double Standard' is a Japanese manga penned by satirical artist Ichihanahana in November 2010 regarding rising Japanese nationalism, Japan-China tensions over the disputed territory of the Senkaku islands and the US presence in Okinawa. This manga demonstrates many of the key themes in Japan’s ties with China and the US, but also a number of other central features of Japan’s international relations as explored throughout this text.

The latest edition of this comprehensive and user-friendly textbook provides a single volume resource for all those studying Japan's international relations. It offers a clear and concise introduction to the most important aspects of Japan's role in the globalized economy of the twenty-first century. The book has been fully updated and revised to include comprehensive discussions of contemporary key issues for Japan’s IR, including: the rise of China; reaction to the global economic and financial crisis since 2008; Japan’s proactive role after 9/11 and the war on terror; responses to events on the Korean Peninsula; relations with the USA and the Obama administration; relations with Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East; changing responses to an expanding and deepening European Union. Extensively illustrated, the text includes statistics, maps, photographs, summaries and suggestions for further reading, making it essential reading for those studying Japanese politics and the international relations of the Asia Pacific. A note on the cover:The cover illustration entitled 'Double Standard' is a Japanese manga penned by satirical artist Ichihanahana in November 2010 regarding rising Japanese nationalism, Japan-China tensions over the disputed territory of the Senkaku islands and the US presence in Okinawa. This manga demonstrates many of the key themes in Japan’s ties with China and the US, but also a number of other central features of Japan’s international relations as explored throughout this text.

Part of Routledge’s leading Global Institutions Series, this book is a highly accessible, up-to-date introduction to the history, present and future of the G7/8 summits, exploring the role that the G8 plays and will play in global governance. Hugo Dobson examines the G8 and its position in global governance in terms of its relationship to the more formal and truly institutionalized mechanisms of global governance: the United Nations, World Bank and World Trade Organization. Divided into six informative chapters, this volume provides an innovative contribution to the dynamics of global governance and is especially relevant to promoting this area of investigation in the future. It includes: history and development of the summit; organization and functioning; perspectives of member states; achievements and failures; criticisms and challenges and future directions draws upon existing literature in order to provide the reader with a single more concise point-of entry acts as a guide to the broader field of research and provides suggested further reading. The Group of 7/8 is a core introductory guide and an essential purchase for students and professionals alike in the field of international relations.

Part of Routledge’s leading Global Institutions Series, this book is a highly accessible, up-to-date introduction to the history, present and future of the G7/8 summits, exploring the role that the G8 plays and will play in global governance. Hugo Dobson examines the G8 and its position in global governance in terms of its relationship to the more formal and truly institutionalized mechanisms of global governance: the United Nations, World Bank and World Trade Organization. Divided into six informative chapters, this volume provides an innovative contribution to the dynamics of global governance and is especially relevant to promoting this area of investigation in the future. It includes: history and development of the summit; organization and functioning; perspectives of member states; achievements and failures; criticisms and challenges and future directions draws upon existing literature in order to provide the reader with a single more concise point-of entry acts as a guide to the broader field of research and provides suggested further reading. The Group of 7/8 is a core introductory guide and an essential purchase for students and professionals alike in the field of international relations.

This book analyses Japan's international relations and participation in the multilateral forum, the G8, since its creation in 1975. The author explores the motivation of the Japanese government and non-governmental actor's aims and objectives and examines how and to what extent they have been achieved. Presenting a wealth of new research this theoretically informed book will be of interest to those studying interntional relations and Japanese politics.

Japan's postwar constitution in which the Japanese government famously renounced war forever has meant that the country has been reluctant, until recently, to commit its armed forces in the international arena. However, in the last decade or so, Japan has played a much more active role in peacekeeping and its troops have been deployed as part of UN forces in trouble spots as varied as the Gulf, Cambodia, the Golan Heights, Kosovo and the East Timor. This book examines these developments within the border context of international relations theory and changes in Japan's domestic and regional politics.

Britian and Japan in the Contemporary World provides up-to-date analyses of these two countries in terms of economics, politics, security and identity on the global, regional, subnational and civic levels. The book moves beyond an analysis of state-to-state relations between Britain and Japan by examining the role of civil society in the relationship and analyzing the way the two countries deal with common issues, such as the 'special relationship' both maintain with the US; the relationship with the continents that both of these island nations border; the question of the degree of decentralization to allow within their contested borders. Both countries also face the pressures of globalization, as seen by the responses of the global cities of London and Tokyo. The editors have brought a selection of top scholars in a collection of chapters aimed at examining the similarities and differences in the way Britian and Japan respond to issues of common concern on these different levels.