The American Role in Northeast Asian Reconciliation

Unresolved disputes over wartime aggression continue to plague relations between Japan and its neighbors, even as increasing economic and cultural interaction in Northeast Asia show no signs of abating. Can a meaningful and lasting reconciliation be achieved, more than six decades after World War II and given postwar Japan's history of neglecting Asian victims of past injustices? In answering this question, what has been described as Japan's "history problem" must be reconsidered from a broader, trans-Pacific perspective that includes the United States.

The Northeast Asia History Colloquia brings scholars to Stanford to discuss historical issues that remain contentious in Northeast Asia through a series of lectures analyzing how disputes over the past might be resolved. This year's colloquia will examine the U.S. role in regional reconciliation from a range of historical, political, and legal perspectives. Our speakers will investigate various reasons why Japan's history problem is an American concern and offer possible scenarios whereby the U.S. can facilitate historical reconciliation