Sun Tzu is a honorific title bestowed upon Sūn Wu (c. 544-496 BC), the author of The Art of War, an immensely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy.

He is also one of the earliest realists in international relations theory. In the author's name, Sūn Wu, the character wu, meaning "military", is the same as the character in wu shu, or martial art. Sun Wu also has a courtesy name, Chang Qing (Cháng Qīng).

Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan in the 1600s, was an undefeated dueler, a masterless samurai, and an independent teacher.

He spent the last decades of his life refining and teaching his military science.

Inazo Nitobe (1862 - 1933) was a Japanese economist, diplomat and writer. He was a major actor in the League of Nations, and served in the Japanese parliament. His important work Bushido- The Soul of Japan is one of the best early explorations of Japanese culture and samurai ethics written in the English language.