Japan and the Wider World

This is a book by Akira Iriye, about Japan's foreign policy. It offers a good insight on the development of Japan's foreign policy since the Meiji Restoration, and how it is based on pragmatism rather than idealism. Japan's foreign policy is not guided by an ideology; instead, it seeks to protect Japanese interests in a changing world. Living in Japan and interacting with the Japanese, I kind of feel that this is very true. The Japanese are quick to bring in foreign ideas if they are useful, because they are practical people. This practicality probably reflects in her foreign policy as pragmatism.