Japan’s integration into the Janus-faced international society has long been shaped by processes of state socialization, where norms, rules, and expectations influence its diplomatic conduct. From the 19th century onwards, how has Japan navigated pressures to conform to the international society? What lessons can be drawn from Japan’s experience for broader discussions on international political reconciliation?

Prof Tomoko Okagaki (Ph.D., University of Michigan) is a leading scholar in international politics at Dokkyo University, specializing in state socialization, comparative regionalism, and the political thought of international relations. She is the author of The Logic of Conformity: Japan’s Entry in International Society (2013) and Basis of International Politics: Foundational Concepts and Theories (2021). Her extensive academic career includes visiting positions at Harvard University, the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and Oxford, where she is currently focusing on British approaches to international relations theory and the politics of reconciliation.