Awkward partners in regional integration: the case of Japan (original) (raw)

ASEAN's Regional Role and Relations with Japan: The Challenges of Deeper Integration

The conference explored ASEAN’s role as a critical actor in southeast Asia, and the nature of its contemporary relations with Japan. The overarching focus of the conference was on ASEAN’s unique institutional identity, its potential future trajectories, and ways to engage with Japan. This research paper was launched at the conference, providing our findings and recommendations on the way forward for ASEAN-Japan partnerships to gain more traction. See more at: https://www.chathamhouse.org/event/asean-regional-role-and-relations-japan#sthash.z0OCoJcj.dpuf

Japan's approach to Asia Pacific economic cooperation

Journal of Asian Economics, 1998

Since emerging as a leading industrial economy, Japan has played an important role in promoting Asia Pacific economic cooperation. Japan has been instrumental in every major initiative in economic cooperation in the region over the past three decades, including the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum launched in 1989. Japan's commitment to free trade, reinforced by its own experience of discriminatory trade policies in the immediate postwar period, has made it a strong advocate of the principle of 'open regionalism' on which APEC is founded. Commitment to this principle has provided the basis for a process of unilateral liberalisation of trade, including agreed time frames, which allows the developing economies of the Asia Pacific region to progress towards free trade in a flexible manner and provides some protection against 'free riders'. The strength of this commitment will assist member economies to counter pressure for preferential trading arrangements and facilitate the extension of free trade to sectors which involve cooperation with economies outside the Asia Pacific region. This paper draws on work completed recently with Andrew Elek and Hadi Soesastro ('Open Regionalism: The Nature of Asia Pacific Integration'), and David Vines and Brett House ('East Asia and Europe: A Shared Global Agenda?'). Many of the ideas and words are property shared with these colleagues. The argument in this paper is elaborated in Drysdale (1997). I am grateful to Ross Garnaut for his critical and helpful comments. I alone am responsible for the final shape of the argument.

Indo-Pacific Connector? Japan’s Role in Bridging ASEAN and the Quad

The Journal of East Asian Affairs, 2024

While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been evolving as the primary multilateral organization in Southeast Asia for nearly 60 years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) has undergone rapid institutionalization since its revival in 2017. The Quad’s institutional development is often seen as a challenge to “ASEAN Centrality,” which is outlined in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) as the underlying principle for promoting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. For Japan, ASEAN Centrality and the public good provision that transpires through the Quad are synergistic and complementary. Both institutions are seen as important pillars for an Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, rule-of-law based, stable, and prosperous. This article examines Japan’s role in bridging ASEAN and the Quad, based on the following lines of inquiry: Why does Tokyo have a role in bridging ASEAN and the Quad? What are the existing areas of cooperation? What are the underdeveloped yet important areas of cooperation that Japan can explore to enhance the synergy between ASEAN and Quad activities? This article finds that Japan’s position as a reliable and trusted partner in both ASEAN and the Quad makes it well-suited to bridge the two institutions effectively.

Japan as a Regional Power in Asia

Nber Chapters, 1993

The authors would like to thank Benedict Anderson, Miles Kahler, Takashi Shiraishi, and Wing University. Martin Rouse is a Ph.D. candidate in government at Cornell University. Woo for their detailed comments on an earlier draft of this paper.

Japan's Role in Responding to the Crisis in Southeast Asia and the East Asian Regionalism

2004

Since the economic crisis erupted in Southeast Asia, there has been a tendency towards the revival of East Asian regionalism. Existing regional cooperation, the IMF and other international institutions were not effective in dealing with the crisis. The US also did not pay much attention. Thus crisis-hit countries sought helps from major powers in the region. On the other hand, Japan saw the chance to play an important role in assisting these countries. Despite some difficulty, Japan proposed some significant initiatives in responding to the crisis such as the Asian Monetary Fund and the New Miyazawa Initiative. In general, ASEAN welcomed Japan's initiatives. This paper analyzes what Japan has done so far to cooperate with the crisis-hit countries cope with the crisis, in spite of its own economic woes. It also analyzes the prospect of East Asian regionalism, what position ASEAN (especially Indonesia) has taken to respond Japan's initiatives, what would be in the future devel...

2010. Development Assistance, Strategic Interests, and the China Factor in Japan's Role in ASEAN Integration

Japanese Journal of Political Science, 2010

In this article, we have examined how Japan has supported ASEAN's economic integration through ODA and other diplomatic measures, and showed how Japan's engagements in ASEAN economic integration evolved over time. In addressing these issues, we took into account the growing influence of China's ascent in Southeast Asia, and assumed that Japan's China policy of mixed 'accommodation and balance' became explicit in Japan's ASEAN policy. The pronouncement of support for ASEAN integration, disbursement of aid to the region, forging of bilateral and regional FTAs/EPAs with ASEAN, and its recent initiatives and proactive involvement in the Mekong regional development are indicative of Japan's reactive posture on China's growing influence in the region. Japanese diplomatic initiatives in ASEAN are intended, in part, to accommodate and balance China's increasing prominence in Southeast Asia. This explains the simultaneous existence of competitive and cooperative initiatives of the two countries with ASEAN.

Development Assistance, Strategic Interests, and the China Factor in Japan's Role in ASEAN Integration

Japanese Journal of Political Science, 2010

In this article, we have examined how Japan has supported ASEAN's economic integration through ODA and other diplomatic measures, and showed how Japan's engagements in ASEAN economic integration evolved over time. In addressing these issues, we took into account the growing influence of China's ascent in Southeast Asia, and assumed that Japan's China policy of mixed 'accommodation and balance' became explicit in Japan's ASEAN policy. The pronouncement of support for ASEAN integration, disbursement of aid to the region, forging of bilateral and regional FTAs/EPAs with ASEAN, and its recent initiatives and proactive involvement in the Mekong regional development are indicative of Japan's reactive posture on China's growing influence in the region. Japanese diplomatic initiatives in ASEAN are intended, in part, to accommodate and balance China's increasing prominence in Southeast Asia. This explains the simultaneous existence of competitive and cooperative initiatives of the two countries with ASEAN.

Japan’s reluctance in East Asian economic integration

Asia Europe Journal, 2009

Until 1997, the only preferential trading arrangement, which existed in East Asia, was the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr. Mahathir had realized earlier the deficiency of AFTA in terms of stimulating economic development. In 1990, he proposed to ASEAN members to form the East Asian Economic Group. Due to regional political factors, his proposal was turned down and replaced with the East Asian Economic Caucus in 1992. In 1997, again, he proposed that ASEAN needed to establish large economic cooperation with other countries in East Asia. His suggestion had been warmly responded by the members of East Asian countries. At the ASEAN summit in Manila 1999, ASEAN Plus 3 (APT) was created. ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea had agreed and reached a joint statement to form a free-trade area by the year 2020. The establishment of APT was timely since most countries in the world are moving toward establishing wider or larger economic blocs due to the failure of multilateralism of the WTO in creating a new trade agreement. However, there is a shortcoming in the process of building APT, in the minimal and uncertain role of Japan in integrating economies in East Asia. This behavior has disappointed members of the group. The intention of this paper is to discuss the behavior of Japan in the economic integration process in East Asia.