This article analyzes Malaysia-Japan relations under the Mahathir administration, focusing on two case studies, the ““Look East”” policy and Japanese direct investment in Malaysia. As the case studies suggest, Mahathir's policies were first and foremost dictated by his nationalism and anti-Western stance, which tended at times to alienate the Japanese government.

This article investigates the emerging pattern of Japan's peacemaking in Southeast Asia, which is characterized by the heavy use of economic aid. Case studies of Cambodia and Burma suggest that Japan's strength lies in mediation between conflicting parties, not in promoting certain values such as human rights.