2025/10/18 by Jacob Hedegaard*, J. Hedegaard
Social Sciences · #International Relations and Foreign Policy
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/09557571.2025.2574692
openalex publication_date 2025/10/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
This article applies discourse analysis to show how informal diplomacy by retired Japanese prime ministers helped deescalate disputes with China during times where official diplomacy was constrained by high emotional stakes. Through public displays of emotion, the retired ministers were able to fulfil what the Chinese saw as Japan’s emotional obligation to show remorse for the war, an obligation that Japanese leaders would not, or could not, fulfil. These displays created opportunities for the Chinese side to assuage public anger domestically and project a more friendly image abroad, thereby lessening diplomatic constraints. By considering the emotional dimension of informal diplomacy by retired politicians, this article demonstrates how it can supplement official diplomacy in unique and important ways that have received relatively little scholarly attention.