The Postwar Rapprochement of Malaya and Japan 1945-61. The Roles of Britain and Japan in South-East Asia.

The author analyses the development of postwar Malayo-Japanese rapprochement from the resumption of unofficial economic relations to establishment of formal diplomatic relations, which happened along with the return of British administration in Malaya and Malayan decolonisation. The focus is placed on the role of Britain as the suzerain of Malaya, in facilitating Japanese return to Malaya. The motivations behind the keen promotion of rapprochement by Malayan and Japanese leaders through the exchange of Prime Ministerial visits are also closely discussed.

JUNKO TOMARU is Associate Professor in Transnational Relations at the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University, Japan. She obtained her M.Litt. and D.Phil degrees from Oxford, St Antony's College, returning there as Senior Associate Member for a new research project. Her interests range from international migration and resultant ethnic politics in former British colonies in Asia-Pacific to the roles of Britain and Japan in postwar South-East Asia.