GDR Policy towards Japan: 1949-1989

with Dr. Shogo AKAGAWA, Editor-in-Chief for Europe, Middle East and Africa, the Japanese Newspaper Nikkei

The German-Japanese relations between 1949 and 1989 are unexplored and often overlooked: namely, relations between Japan and the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In this Book the GDR’s Japan policy is analysed in detail using German and Japanese archival materials as well as interviews with contemporary witnesses. Moreover, hitherto unknown events, such as negotiations to establish diplomatic relations, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany’s (SED) political manoeuvres in Japan or various attempts to circumvent the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (CoCom)-Embargo by Japanese companies are brought to light. Based on numerous sources, this book reveals how systematically the SED’s Japan strategy was constructed, and how deeply Japanese political and economic figures were involved. The findings show the current Japanese governing party Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in an unfavourable light because its leaders tolerated the partially hostile Japan policy of the SED. The same criticism applies to some well-known Japanese companies. 

Register for the seminar here until May 16.