Yutaka SASAKI
   Department   Kyoto University of Foreign Studies  Department of British and American Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies
   Position   Professor
Language Japanese
Publication Date 2019/01
Type Academic Paper
Peer Review Peer reviewed
Title The Sino-Japanese War and the American Council of the Institute of Pacific Relations
Contribution Type Single author
Journal Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies
Journal TypeJapan
Publisher Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University
Volume, Issue, Page pp.14-29
Details This essay traces the acitivities of the American Council of the Institute of Pacific Relations (the IPR, often viewed as the harbinger of international non-governmental organizations) during the period between the latter half of 1937 and 1939 that coincides with the initial phase of the Sino-Japanese war. In doing so, it examines closely the words and deeds of the principal members of the American Council as they related to domestic political and economic situations in both China and Japan, the national interests of the United States, and the future direction of American foreign policy vis-a-vis China and Japan. In the end, viewed from a historical perspective, this essay suggests that the IPR and the members of the American Council got carried away by the onrushing torrent of history.