Based on primary resources, including documents and extensive interviews with Japanese policy makers, this book provides a comprehensive and detailed empirical analysis of Japan's involvement in Asia-Pacific security multilateralism after the end of the Cold War with special reference to the ARF. Giving an in-depth account of new developments in Japan's post-Cold War security policy, Yuzawa also examines:

• Japan's initial motivations, expectations and objectives for promoting regional security multilateralism
• Japan's diplomacy for achieving these objectives and experiences in the ARF since its formation
• the effectiveness and limitations of the ARF with regards national and Asia-Pacific security
• the effects of Japan's experiences in the ARF on its initial conception of regional securty multilateralism and the implications of this for the direction of its overall security policy
• problems and difficulties that arose as a result of Japan's post-Cold War security policy of simultaneously pursuing two different security approaches - namely the strengthening of regional security institutions and the Japan-US alliance.

This book will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of Japanese security studies, as well as international relations, Asian politics and international organizations.