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Japan is a middle power and a member of numerous international organizations, including the United Nations (since 1956), the OECD, and the Group of Seven. Although it has renounced its right to declare war, the country maintains Self-Defense Forces that rank as one of the world's strongest militaries. After World War II, Japan experienced record growth in an economic miracle, becoming the second-largest economy in the world by 1990. As of 2021, the country's economy is the third-largest by nominal GDP and the fourth-largest by PPP.
Japan has close economic and military relations with the United States, with which it maintains a security alliance.[1] The United States is a major market for Japanese exports and a major source of Japanese imports, and is committed to defending the country, with military bases in Japan.[2]
Japan's relationship with South Korea had historically been strained because of Japan's treatment of during Japanese colonial rule, particularly over the issue of Japan's military using Korean comfort women in World War II. In 2015, Japan agreed to settle the comfort women dispute with South Korea by issuing a formal apology and paying money to the surviving comfort women.[3]
Japan is engaged in several territorial disputes with North Korea, South Korea, Russia, China and Taiwan. Relations with Russia have been strained due to Japan's rejection of Russian control of the Southern Kuril Islands, since 1945.[4]
For current issues see Foreign relations of Japan.
- ^ Akira Iriye, Japan and the wider world: from the mid-nineteenth century to the present (Routledge, 2014) pp 173–189 excerpt.
- ^ "US Relations with Japan". US Department of State. January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Japan and South Korea agree WW2 'comfort women' deal". BBC News. December 28, 2015.
- ^ "Japanese Territory, Northern Territories". MOFA. April 4, 2014.
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