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The article's main goal is to present the influence of ancient Bactria's legacy on the economic and social development of Tajikistan. The paper provides information about the ancient Bactria's history – the country where early urban planning traditions and statehood foundations were formed in Central Asia. Bactria included the central, southern, and eastern parts of Tajikistan. In the 6th Century B.C. Bactria was conquered by the Persian king Cyrus and became part of his Achaemenid empire. From the 4th Century B.C. Bactria became known as Tokharistan. It was the moment when the Tajik nationality began to form.

The paper aims at presenting the social development of Sogdiana and its economy. It discusses the capital of Sogdiana – Samarkand – and its role in the socio-economic system of Sogdiana, as well as other cities of this country. As the heart of Transoxiana, the Zeravshan Valley became the centre of Sogdiana and the first state institutions of Central Asia.

The article examines the impact of history problems on Japan's long-lasting efforts to gain permanent membership in the United Nations (UN) Security Council. It analyzes both the domestic stimuli behind Tokyo's stance on the UN reform and the external constraints on the UN Security Council enlargement. It is argued that while problems with Japan's bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council stemmed mainly from divergent interests of member states, history issues constituted an additional obstacle that weakened Tokyo's position in negotiations on the UN reform. The discourse on lack of repentance by Japan for the atrocities committed during the Second World War was instrumentally used by the country's rivals, mainly China and South Korea, all in the effort to hinder Tokyo's efforts on the international arena.