Overview

This book offers a useful and extensive account of Japan’s past discoveries and present interactions with Muslim states and societies across Asia.

Context and Themes

Bearing in mind the U.S.-led global meta-narrative of Islam spoken in tandem with security and threats, this book examines how this reconciles with Japan’s self-proclaimed “values-based” approach to diplomacy across Asia in the twenty-first century.

Author’s Perspective

The author considers Japan’s historic conceptualization and learning of Islam, and its acute needs for access to markets and energy from Muslim-majority states in Asia. He also argues that Japan securitizes Islam in a manner distinct from Western, Russian, or Chinese securitization today, but that Japan promotes itself as a model for human security and development across an Asia inclusive of Muslim states.

Implications

Japan’s approach to Islam and Muslim societies today offers much from which other great powers can learn.