'Zeitenwende' : the view from Japan

Abstract

Japan has been cultivating good relations with Europe, including the European Union and non-member states, for decades. Although its primary focus has been on the US in the post-war period for security, and on East Asia for trade and investment in the post-Cold War era, both economic and latterly security relations with Europe have developed steadily and towards greater cooperation. Since the 1970s, Japanese companies have been increasing their investments, networks and local relations in various parts of Europe, in car manufacturing, financial services and industrial chemicals, among many other industries.1 With the gradual revision of Japan’s stance on international security cooperation under successive administrations from officially being against collective security towards allowing for defence exports and other security cooperation, it has also been attracting interest from European governments, EU agencies and commercial defence organisations regarding exchanges and joint programmes.