2023 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses

International Relations B

Academic unit or major: Humanities and social science courses
Instructor(s): Wataru Yamaguchi
Class Format: Lecture (Face-to-face)
Media-enhanced courses: -
Day of week/Period (Classrooms): Intensive
Class: -
Course Code: LAH.S204
Number of credits: 200
Course offered: 2023
Offered quarter: 2Q
Syllabus updated: Jul 8, 2025
Language: Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course will examine diplomatic history of postwar Japan. Topics include the Treaty of San Francisco, the US-Japan Security Treaty, and the Okinawa Reversion Agreement. Students will have the chance to tackle practical problems by applying knowledge acquired through the lecture.

Course description and aims

Through this class, students will gain a better understanding of diplomatic history of postwar Japan and learn basic facts and concepts about Japanese diplomacy.

Keywords

Japanese diplomacy, diplomatic history of postwar Japan, Showa, after the Pacific War, US-Japan relations

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

This course requires students to take an active role in their own learning. It is essentially important for students to attend all the classes. Required learning should be completed outside of the classroom for preparation and review purposes.
Class is scheduled as follows:
Thursday 10th Aug: Class 1 (period 1-2), Class 2 (period 3-4), Class 3 (period 5-6)
Wednesday 16th Aug: Class 4 (period 1-2), Class 5 (period 3-4), Class 6 (period 5-6)
Thursday 17th Aug: Class 7 (period 1-2), Class 8 (period 3-4), Class 9 (period 5-6)
Friday 18th Feb: Class 10 (period 1-2), Class 11 (period 3-4), Class 12 (period 5-6)
Tuesday 22nd Feb: Class 13 (period 1-2), Class 14 (period 3-4)
Information on the lecture room will be provided as soon as it is decided.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	Introduction	Understand reasons why you should study diplomatic history.
Class 2	The Pacific War	Understand how the Pacific War ended.
Class 3	Diplomacy in occupied Japan (1): Japanese diplomacy in the mid 1940s	Understand what diplomacy in occupied Japan was.
Class 4	Diplomacy in occupied Japan (2): Japanese diplomacy in the late 1940s	Understand how Japan became independent.
Class 5	Conditions of an independent state (1): Japanese diplomacy in the early 1950s	Understand what the US-Japan security treaty was.
Class 6	Conditions of an independent state (2): Japanese diplomacy in the mid 1950s	Understand what "1955 System" was.
Class 7	Conditions of an independent state (3): Japanese diplomacy in the late 1950s	Understand how the US-Japan security treaty revised.
Class 8	The model of an economic power (1): Japanese diplomacy in the early 1960s	Understand meanings of the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Class 9	The model of an economic power (2): Japanese diplomacy in the mid 1960s	Understand meanings of the Vietnam War.
Class 10	The model of an economic power (3): Japanese diplomacy in the late 1960s	Understand how Okinawa returned.
Class 11	Overcoming the crises (1): Japanese diplomacy in the early 1970s	Understand what the oil crisis was.
Class 12	Overcoming the crises (2): Japanese diplomacy in the late 1970s	Understand what the comprehensive security was.
Class 13	The mission and trials of an emerging international state: Japanese diplomacy after the 1980s	Understand meanings of the end of the cold war.
Class 14	final exam

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

See Japanese information.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

See Japanese information.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Class participation (20%)
Two mid-term reports (30%)
Final reports (50%)

Related courses

LAH.S104 ： International Relations A
LAH.S305 ： International Relations C

Prerequisites

There are no pre‐requisites for the course.