Abstract
In the famous article "Datsu-A," written in 1885 by Fukuzawa Yukichi, he argued that Japan should shift its focus from Asia to the West. At that time, it might have been a winning concept, but eventually it led Japan into war and created memories that still haunt the country and its development today. Japan’s relations with its Asian neighbors have been complex, not least due to World War II. Since the 1960s, development cooperation has been a powerful tool for Japan in dealing with its neighbors. Foreign direct investment and trade are other important pillars. Japan should build solid and constructive relationships with various international actors. Asia is in the center and Japan has moved a long way from "Datsu-A." Development cooperation is a political tool that carries significance as an "investment for the future" and where Japan has had significant experience during the last 60 years-a fact that it should not underestimate, but use wisely to build in both the present and the future, its Asian connections.