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Japan's 'Plan A+' strategy in the Trump era : toward more cooperation with Europe
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2467-4540
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EUI; RSC; Policy Brief; 2025/13; Global Governance Programme; [EU-Asia Project]; [Europe in the World]
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WATANABE, Tsuneo, Japan’s ‘Plan A+’ strategy in the Trump era : toward more cooperation with Europe, EUI, RSC, Policy Brief, 2025/13, Global Governance Programme, [EU-Asia Project], [Europe in the World] - https://hdl.handle.net/1814/93014
Abstract
Now, with the speed and intensity of a speeded-up video, the international order that has been built since World War II is collapsing. Japan recognises a drastic shift in the international order and considers the new strategy in the Trump era. Although Japan recognizes Trump administration's tough stance against China is still good news for the alliance with the US, the ongoing military cooperation between China and Russia, and also between North Korea and Russia are bad news. In this context, a decline in the U.S. commitment to NATO is bad news for Japan since it reflects a decline of American’s interests in oversea allies and leading the international order. Now Japan is strengthening its own defence capabilities and expanding its role in the Japan-U.S. alliance as a hedge against declining U.S. involvement. In addition, Japan is promoting closer security cooperative relations with U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific and Europe. The Sasakawa Peace Foundation, which the author participates in, calls this strategy ‘Plan A+.’ This paper introduces Japan’s strategic thinking and shows that cooperation with Europe is an important pillar of its foreign policy.
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Published online: July 2025