How Geoeconomics Advances Geopolitical Cooperation: The Case of EU-Japan Relations
- H. Richard Nakamura
, - Patrik Ström
Abstract
The relationship between Japan and the European Union (EU) has developed and matured over the last decades. It comprises of both complex economic relations recently formalized in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), and the subsequent Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) that covers a broader set of political issues. Here, we are addressing the trade diplomacy interaction that has been associated with the long negotiation process between Japan and the EU. The article seeks to answer the question: How has the geopolitical relationship between Japan and the EU evolved based on the context forming the EPA? The empirical section discusses the development that led to the establishment of the EPA and SPA, as well as to the current relationship and additional agreements. Our findings suggest that the EPA has been central also to deepened political cooperation between Tokyo and Brussels, emphasizing the ground-breaking role of an FTA in contributing to solidify a changing geopolitical order. We suggest for future research to explore the development of the EPA and SPA, and their impact on geopolitics, respectively. These future studies would benefit from a cross-disciplinary perspective within the area of political economy and international business.
Keywords
Japan, EU, geopolitics, geoeconomics, EPA, SPA
Author Biography
H. Richard Nakamura
Dr H Richard Nakamura is Senior Lecturer in International Business Studies and Management at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He is also Vice President for Europe of the Euro-Asia Management Studies Association (EAMSA) and Secretary of the Association of Japanese Business Studies (AJBS). He has focused his research on Japanese and Asian economy and business, with focus on FDI, digitalization, cross-border M&A, SMEs and business. He has spent a number of guest lectureships and research sojourns at universities such as Tokyo University, Keio University and Hokkaido University. In addition, he has done research under a short-term guest research position at the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) in Tokyo.
Patrik Ström
Patrik Ström is the Director of the European Institute of Japanese Studies (EIJS) at Stockholm School of Economics and Associate Professor of economic geography. His research is focusing on the development of the advanced service industry, economic integration, geoeconomics, geopolitics and the transformation of economies that are becoming more service and knowledge based. This includes the transition towards the green economy. The primary regional focus has been Japan, South Korea, China and other emerging markets of East Asia as well as the Single Internal Market in the EU. Patrik has been involved in various policy related activities connected to the EU single market for services, such as the High-Level Group on Business Services, where he chaired the working group on internationalization. Patrik also is part of the Multi-year Expert Meeting on Trade, Services and Development organized by UNCTAD.