This book looks at Japan's foreign policy at the regional and global level from a power perspective. Reinhard Drifte argues that, although Japan still poses as a political pygmy, it is no longer an economic superpower. Instead, it increasingly translates its economic power into influence over the perceptions, intentions, options and material circumstances of other people. This new power posture has been referred to as civilian power but is no less effective for national interest than military power was in the past.