Japan: Obstacles to world power

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Dear Student,
Hi and thank you for using Brainmass. Please note that the topic in question is quite broad as the definition of what a world power means can differentiate dependent on perspective. I would advise checking on your current class materials to see how 'world power' is defined and take this into account. The information below is general but you can use the online resources listed to explore this topic further. If you have any questions feel free to leave it in the feedback section. Good luck with your studies.

Sincerely,
OTA 105878/Xenia Jones
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Defining a World-Power

Is Japan a world power? To answer this question, let us first define what a world power is. According to Miller (2005), a world-power is a country that achieves "achieves unmatched dominance... a country that has the capacity to project dominating power and influence anywhere in the world, and sometimes, in more than one region of the globe at a time, and so may plausibly attain the status of global hegemony...along four axes of power: military, economic, political, and cultural." He goes on to explain that in recent history, Great Britain has achieved this status, waning after the end of the colonial era. After WW2, the US and then USSR became the dominant superpowers of the world with their political, economic, military and cultural influence battling for influence and control beyond their own national territories. As such, it was inevitable that they came to declare 'war' against each other, seeing each other as the threat to what they see as the 'right' order of the world, the way to social organization as peace. But, with the collapse of USSR in the early 90's, it's superpower status was also negated and, despite Russia's burgeoning economic, military and political influence in their region and in certain communist and socialist nations - their former charges, the remaining 'true' superpower in our world ...