Business Leaders and Nationalism in Japan's Oil Diplomacy in the Middle East

LEVENT S.

ASIAN STUDIES REVIEW, 2023 (AHCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/10357823.2023.2255741
  • Dergi Adı: ASIAN STUDIES REVIEW
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Japan, Middle East, Kodoshugi (Imperial Way principles and ethics), oil, nationalism, Shigenhazaikaijin (resource-oriented businessmen), Minzokukeishihon (national oil champions)
  • Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This article examines Japan's resource diplomacy in the Middle East by focusing on the activities and ideologies of business leaders before the First Oil Crisis in 1973. By analysing the roles played by four prominent leaders in the oil industry (Idemitsu Sazo, Yamashita Taro, Tanaka Seigen, and Sugimoto Shigeru), the article illustrates how the beliefs of these leaders intersected with those of the political class in Japan's oil diplomacy towards Middle East. The approach they took to oil diplomacy reflected the notion of Kodoshugi (Imperial Way principles and ethics). This form of nationalism had some continuity with the prewar Greater Asianism insofar as it was infused with the religious ethics and doctrines of the 'Japanese Imperial Way' and the avoidance of dependence on the West.