Japan is a member of the United Nations, the G8, and the G4 nations. Japan is also a donor in international aid and development efforts. Despite all of this Japan has had a hard time defining its role in international relations. Japan's involvement in the international world is related to the man-land tradition of geography.
Japan currently has territorial disputes over islands that were controlled by Japan before World War II. These disputed islands are the Kuril islands. The disputes are mainly about the control of natural resources and reserves of crude oil and natural gas. Japan also is in dispute with Korea over the Liancourt Rocks, which Korea occupies. The Chinese have also sought to keep Japan from getting a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council through demonstrations. China and Taiwan both dispute Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto and Japan's declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea.
Japan has been a supporter of the US led war in Iraq even though it is becoming unpopular in their country for them to do so. Japan currently has a humanitarian military mission in Iraq. Japan currently has about 600 troops in Iraq who are rebuilding schools, purifying water, and other humanitarian work. More about this can be found at
Japan to Extend Iraq Mission
