Security governance in regional and global governance – Japan and the EU

Abstract

This chapter explores security governance between Japan and the EU on both a regional and a global level. Several recent European initiatives are used as context to analyse enhanced cooperation between the two actors. These initiatives are the 2016 EU Global Strategy and two policy papers: “Enhanced EU Security Cooperation in and with Asia” and “Connecting Europe and Asia - Building blocks for an EU Strategy.” Simultaneously, the progress that led to the signing of the EU - Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement is explored in light of external factors such as re-emerging global geopolitics and geo-economics. EU - Japan relations are heavily influenced by the diminishing Liberal International Order (LIO), of which both regions are staunch defenders. In this spirit, Japan and the EU signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement in the defence of multilateralism. Lastly, the concept of ‘connectivity’ is explained as being essential to flourishing economies. Therefore connectivity can be seen as essential to security and a vital element of EU - Japan cooperation.