Japan and the New Silk Road: Diplomacy, Development and Connectivity (Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies)

This book presents a study of Japanese involvement in post-Soviet Central Asia since the independence of these countries in 1991, examining the reasons for progress and stagnation in this multi-lateral relationship. Featuring interviews with decision-makers and experts from Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the Philippines, this book argues that Japan’s impact on Central Asia and its connectivity has been underappreciated. It demonstrates that Japan’s infrastructural footprint in the New Silk Road significantly pre-dated China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and that the financial and policy contribution driven by Japanese officials was of a similar order of magnitude. It also goes on to show that Japan was the first major power outside of post-Soviet Central Asia to articulate a dedicated Silk Road diplomacy vis-à-vis the region before the United States and China, and the first to sponsor pivotal assistance. Being the first detailed analytical account of the diplomatic impact made on the New Silk Road by various Japanese actors beyond formal diplomacy, this book will be useful to students and scholars of Japanese politics, as well as Asian politics and international politics more generally. "This book presents a study of Japanese involvement in post-Soviet Central Asia since the independence of these countries in 1991, examining the reasons for progress and stagnation in this multilateral relationship. Featuring interviews with decision-makers and experts from Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the Philippines, this book argues that Japan's impact on Central Asia and its connectivity has been underappreciated. It demonstrates that Japan's infrastructural footprint in the New Silk Road significantly pre-dated China's Belt and Road Initiative and that the financial and policy contribution driven by Japanese officials was of similar order of magnitude. It also goes on to show that Japan was the first major power outside of post-Soviet Central Asia to articulate a dedicated Silk Road diplomacy vis-à-vis the region before the United States and China, and the first to sponsor pivotal assistance. The first detailed analytical account of the diplomatic impact made on the New Silk Road by various Japanese actors beyond formal diplomacy, this book will be useful to students and scholars of Japanese politics, as well as Asian politics and international politics more generally"-- Provided by publisher "This book presents a study of Japanese involvement in post-Soviet Central Asia since the independence of these countries in 1991, examining the reasons for progress and stagnation in this multi-lateral relationship. Featuring interviews with decision-makers and experts from Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the Philippines, this book argues that Japan's impact on Central Asia and its connectivity has been underappreciated. It demonstrates that Japan's infrastructural footprint in the New Silk Road significantly pre-dated China's Belt and Road Initiative, and that the financial and policy contribution driven by Japanese officials was of a similar order of magnitude. It also goes on to show that Japan was the first major power outside of post-Soviet Central Asia to articulate a dedicated Silk Road diplomacy vis-à-vis the region before the United States and China, and the first to sponsor pivotal assistance. Being the first detailed analytical account of the diplomatic impact made on the New Silk Road by various Japanese actors beyond formal diplomacy, this book will be useful to students and scholars of Japanese politics, as well as Asian politics and international politics more generally." (ed.) This book presents a study of Japanese involvement in post-Soviet Central Asia since the independence of these countries in 1991, examining the reasons for progress and stagnation in this multi-lateral relationship. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 List of illustrations 9 Series editors’ preface 10 Notes on style 12 Acknowledgements 13 List of abbreviations and acronyms 15 Introduction: Japan, the New Great Game, and New Silk Road 18 1: Central Asia on Japan’s diplomatic agenda: security, resources, and humanitarianism 36 2: Silk Road diplomacy of the DPJ cabinets: continuity, inertia, and change 81 3: Japan’s aid in the New Silk Road: developmentalism, securitisation, and likely prototype for Belt and Road? 106 4: Energy Silk Road: anticipation and adaption in Japan’s resource diplomacy 158 5: Japan, China, and Asian connectivity: competition, cooperation, and the weaponisation of infrastructure finance? 208 Conclusion 232 Glossary 238 Index 240 Japanese involvement,post-Soviet Central Asia,multi-lateral relationship,New Silk Road,China’s Belt and Road Initiative,Silk Road diplomacy,Japanese politics