Multihegemony, Sutured Regionness, and the US-China-Japan Triangle

The rise of nationalism, unresolved territorial disputes, an intricate system of alliances, and the perceived breakdown of the balance of power have been identified as the main causes behind the outbreak of World War I. They also are strikingly similar to the challenges East Asia faces today. Will history repeat itself and see East Asia sleepwalking into another hegemonic war? China’s future relations with the United States and Japan will be crucial for East Asia’s regional order, but its dispute with Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands might lead to a regional war. I argue, however, that a major war is unlikely because pre-World War I Europe and today’s Northeast Asia are qualitatively different in terms of what I call multihegemony and sutured regionness.