Early Japan (until 710)

I was wondering if any of you guys could give me a hand, since the  intarwebz have failed me.

 I'm looking for shit about relations in Early Japan--preferrably foreign, but domestic works, too.

 srsly, there's gotta be a few history people here, and it definitely counts as political.

 OH GOD YOU CAN'T FAIL ME ;O;

 EVEN IF IT'S JUST LINKS, PEOPLE. PLEAAASEEE?

"Japan's population subsequently grew and centralised into large towns allowing warlords to easily unify the tribes in large areas of land into clans. The clans subsequently swallowed up weaker neighbours and negotiated borders with those they could not forming counties. Once the borders stabilised the peaceful environment fermented the creation of a diplomatic forum so the new clans could negotiate with each other for mutual gain on a national scale."

Why can't African countries do this?