1. Two-level game analysis of Japan in the TPP negotiations.
- Author
-
Tomohito Shinoda
- Subjects
JAPANESE foreign relations ,NEGOTIATION ,FARM produce ,INTERNATIONAL relations ,PRIME ministers ,TRANS-Pacific Partnership - Abstract
Starting his second term as Japanese prime minister in late 2012, Shinzo Abe regarded Japan's participation in TPP negotiations as one of the top priority foreign policy issues. Abe successfully acquired a concession from President Barack Obama in order to enter the TPP negotiations without prior commitment to the total elimination of tariffs. After entry into the negotiations, Japan found a way to offer a tariff elimination on the politically sensitive agricultural products. Although the Japanese negotiation team was a latecomer in the TPP negotiation, its members played an instrumental role in reaching an agreement by helping other negotiating partners in the process. In addition, other factors including Japan-Australia FTA, the break-up of the Japan-US cabinet level meeting, and the Chinese initiative in AIIB motivated the American negotiators to reach an agreement. Japan's role became even more important with the US withdrawal from the agreement, eventually contributing to a successful conclusion of the TPP agreement among 11 countries. Employing a two-level game framework, this study examines how Japan reached an important agreement with the United States in the original TPP negotiations, and then, after the American withdrawal, with other countries in the TPP 11 negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
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