| Popis: |
Donald Trump’s presidency and his “America First” approach to world affairs have shaken US relations with China, Japan, Russia, Australia, India, and other Indo-Pacific countries, generating public expressions of concern, anxiety, and confusion on the part of regional powers. Washington’s inconsistent and contradictory pronouncements and demands have forced other states to struggle to adjust their foreign, trade, and security policies. This chapter examines Japan’s responses to the Trump presidency in the economic-trade and political-security policy areas, eclectically drawing on elements of realism, liberalism, and constructivism. On the one hand, Tokyo steadfastly defended Japan’s economic interests against the threats of tariffs in bilateral trade talks and played a leading role in trade and investment liberalization through multilateral institutions, most prominently in promoting the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and WTO reforms. On the other hand, the Abe administration endorsed US summit diplomacy with North Korea and accepted Washington’s call for greater sharing of defense and international security roles on the part of Japan and other US allies in the region. Moreover, Abe launched the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP) initiative for promoting the establishment of a rules-based order to govern international relations in the region, in part as a hedging move to counter the rising power of China and in part to keep the United States engaged in regional affairs. Also, Abe actively promoted the Quadrilateral Dialogue Partnership (the “Quad”) as a minilateral regional framework, also designed to check China’s influence and ensure US’s commitment to ensuring regional security. Thus, Japan defended its economic interests bilaterally and multilaterally while retaining its identity as a junior partner in the security alliance with the United States. This chapter concludes with a discussion of the likely direction the new Biden administration will go in its engagement in the region.. |
