Examining the complex course of Sino-Japanese relations since 1989, Wan (public and international affairs, George Mason U.) builds upon existing research to address six research questions: patterns and trends in the relationship between Japan and China, the evolution of the basic logic of the relationship, the nature of the relationship in regards to history and status, the influence of shifting national identities and other larger socioeconomic transformations on the relationship, the role of the US presence and policies, and systemic roots of the relationship's patterns and trends. In answering these questions, he moves from micro-foundational issues such as strategic calculation and individual political actors to macro-level topics such as power politics and globalization. The discussion includes case studies of Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni shrine, where a number of Japanese war criminals are enshrined; Japan's adjustment of development assistance toward China; the 2002 Shenyang incident, in which North Korean asylum seekers set off a controversy between China and Japan; and private Chinese lawsuits file in Japanese courts seeking redress for World War II atrocities. Annotation ⓒ2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)