近年臺灣學界常有對「中國研究」方法與議程的改進呼聲，本文試圖介紹日本國關學界的中國研究，提供本土中國研究及發展之參考點。本文主要 討論「中國研究」在學科定位與學科史上，以什麼樣的方式演變?而在日本國際關係的主要社群中，「中國研究議程」呈現什麼樣的特色?本文以「日本國際政治學會」所編輯刊物國際政治為核心，對其中的中國研究相關論文加以分析並歸類。時間範圍是 1957-2008 年，討論二戰結束後，日本國際政治學界對於中國的研究方法、研究觀點、主要研究成果之系譜。並以其中的專論、研究筆記為核心研究材料，佐以其他重要著作與當時學界大事加以說明。

結果顯示，雖然主要占多數的中國研究成果屬於「國際政治史」，但近年來「區域研究」的篇數增加，漸有並駕齊驅之勢;同時「理論研究」研究也穩定發展中。其次不論是國際政治史與區域研究，都在引進西方理論的同時，保有傳統研究方式，呈現辯證發展的變化。

Currently, there has been an increasing voice to reconsider the methodology and agenda of “China studies” within the Taiwanese academic community. With this respect, this paper introduces the China studies achieved by the Japanese academic community to support the developmental basis of China studies in Taiwan. Two questions lead the argument in this paper:(1)what is the transformation of the contemporary China studies in the Japanese international relations(IR)community? and(2)what characteristics are presented from the China studies agenda within their IR field? This paper analyzes and categorizes China studies publications written in the Kokusaiseiji(IR), edited by the Japan Association of International Relations(JAIR), in order to answer the two aforementioned questions. The time scope of publications and research notes spans from 1957 to 2008, and can be embodied to present Japan’s perspectives on the China studies methodology, opinion, and genealogy, especially after the end of World War II. In addition, some relevant books and major social events in Japan are demonstrated as well for discussion.

This paper shows that most of Japan’s China studies publications can be described as the works of “international political history,” and that the amount of publications focusing on “area studies” is increased recently to the level comparable to the former area. During such transformation, the study of “IR Theory” is steadily developing as well in Japan. Moreover, this paper finds that the Japanese style of dialectics in both international political history and area studies research are consisted of Western element but also retain the traditional mode of the IR theories.