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Paper short abstract

This paper examines the 1968 Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise (Sekai Seinen no Fune), launched as part of the Meiji Centennial projects, as a formative episode in the reorientation of Japan’s diplomacy during the transition from the late 1960s to the 1970s.

Paper long abstract

This paper examines the 1968 Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise (Sekai Seinen no Fune), launched as part of the Meiji Centennial projects, as a formative episode in the reorientation of Japan’s diplomacy during the transition from the late 1960s to the 1970s. The cruise illuminates how Japan sought to reconfigure its regional presence through non-coercive, people-centered diplomacy during the Cold War. Drawing on government documents, media coverage, and archival sources, the paper argues that the voyage functioned as a mobile platform for goodwill diplomacy, enabling Japan to cultivate regional trust, and rehabilitate its post-imperial image. By mobilizing youth exchange, cultural interaction, and maritime mobility, the cruise exemplified a broader shift in Japanese foreign policy toward soft power and international cooperation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Situating the program within the genealogy of Japan’s postwar diplomatic initiatives, the paper highlights the role of youth and cultural diplomacy in shaping Japan’s evolving regional engagement.