Japan Seventy Years after World War II: From a Challenger to a Supporter of the International Order

In advance of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, the "Advisory Panel on the History of the 20th Century and on Japan's Role and the World Order in the 21st Century" issued its report. The author served as acting chair of the panel which reviewed the history of Japan and the world from the 19th century to World War II through the 70 postwar years. This article looks at Japan's expansionism in the 1930s, wartime conduct, colonial rule, and the end of World War II. As a previous challenger to world order, Japan seeks to share the lessons learned now as a supporter of the international order. This article elucidates ways in which Japan can cooperate with the international community to promote prosperity and peace around the globe.