ABSTRACT
During the Occupation, Japan, of course, could not follow an independent path in formulating its foreign policy; Japan's foreign relations were determined by Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP). Japan's relations with the Soviet Union had been estranged since the end of World War II. In April 1941, prior to the outbreak of the Pacific War, Japan signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union. In its relations with the People's Republic of China, Japan followed the US position even after regaining its sovereignty with the peace treaty in 1951. Japan's relations with Australia have been cordial, and trade has benefited both countries. Europe has remained a center of attraction for Japanese tourists as well as for Japanese intellectuals, who regard it as the quintessence of Western culture; but the trade imbalance has also engendered the acrimonious charges of many European nations.
