The Japanese Plan to Dominate East Asia - the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

The article presents the historical evolution of the Japanese pan-Asian doctrine in the form of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere After breaking the state isolation, overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate and thorough reforms, the Empire of Japan has become a major player in the international arena. Entering the era of the industrial revolution, the Japanese started the rivalry with the colonial powers for domination in East Asia, thus finally leading to open hostilities in 1937-1945. Due to complicated ideological, legal, economic, social and cultural foundations of the concept of creating an independent bloc of liberated Asian countries under the leadership of the Empire of Japan, it was a unique idea in the modern history of Far East that had a huge impact on further decolonialisation.