Sino-Japanese relations in the context of the Beijing–Tokyo– Washington triangle

When one examines international relations with regard to any region or specific countries, the method of levels of analysis is one of the most efficient ways to conduct research.1 When we look at Sino-Japanese relations, there are obviously many ways to conduct research at various levels, such as political leadership at the individual level, domestic politics and institutions at the state level, and the world structural system at the international level. This chapter will concentrate primarily on the external factors at the international level to conduct research on Sino-Japanese relations.