This paper examines how the journal Political Geography has been accepted in Japan. Compared with other 'international' geographical journals widely subscribed to in Japan, the status of the journal is not necessarily high. However, following a general rise of political geographic studies in Japan, Japanese universities' subscription to the journal increased in number from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The citation of the journal in major Japanese geographical journals has also been increasing. While the journal is accepted in such a way in Japan, the way Japanese geographers have cited articles in the journal points to some problematic aspects. Using the case of Japan, this paper illustrates how the 'international' journal is used outside the Anglophone world, assesses the role of the journal in the revitalization of political geography in Japan, and proposes some options to make the journal more international. © 2009 The Association of Japanese Geographers.