Reexamination of Pro-American foreign policy image of Ikeda administration: Cuba sugar problem

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Area studies; International relations
• Research Institution: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: ROMERO Isami 帯広畜産大学, 畜産学部, 講師 (40579471)
• Research Collaborator: SAWADA Manabu
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 池田勇人 / キューバ / 砂糖 / 冷戦 / 日本・キューバ関係 / 日米関係 / キューバ革命 / 日本・ラテンアメリカ関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research undertook an empirical analysis to explain why Ikeda administration (a government with a clear pro-American posture) maintained its diplomatic relations with Castro's Cuba, despite the fact that this regime was hostile to the United States.
The result of the research was the following: 1) The foreign policy of Ikeda administration was not special, it was very similar to other allies of the United States 2) Since the US occupation, Japan maintained a strong dependence on Cuban sugar, this situation had a decisive effect on Japan's foreign policy towards Cuba. 3) From the second half of 1950s, Japan had promoted with Cuba a negotiation of a trade treaty, but it did not achieve an advance. However, after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, this situation changed. Finally, in 1960, both countries signed the trade treaty. For this reason, Ikeda refused to follow the guidelines of US anti-Cuban policy, because it involved throwing away the treaty that had cost a lot of effort.

Free Research Field

国際関係論