In the post-Cold War period, Japan has started to take an interest in the regional affairs of Central Asia. Japan's foreign policy for the region is divided into two stages, namely the ”Silk Road Diplomacy” in the initial stage and the framework for ”Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue in the current stage. Their central asia policy has four major goals: 1. Securing new energy sources; 2. Preventing central asia from becoming the backyard of Russia or China; 3. Expanding its diplomatic influence in the region in order to garner support for its bid to become a permanent member on the U.N. Security Council; 4. Cooperating with the international community on the war on terrorism by linking South East Asia to Central Asia into a 'Corridor of Peace and Stability'.