[ Research Directions ]
Joint Research on Economic Cooperation among Japan, China, and Korea - "Trilateral Trade and Investment after China's Entry into the WTO (Second Phase)"
- Research Institute: NIRA
- Research Period: January 2002 - March 2003/01/28
Background of the Joint Research Project
At the 1999 summit meeting among Japan, China, and Korea held on the occasion of the ASEAN+3 meeting, it was decided that a joint research project on strengthening economic cooperation among China, Japan, and Korea would be conducted by three research institutes representing the three nations, and that the results of the project would be reported to the respective heads of governments. NIRA has made policy recommendations based on research on strengthening trilateral trade and investment relations for the past two years in its capacity as the institute representing Japan.
Research Report
The results of the joint research project were presented at the trilateral summit meeting held in Phnom Penh on November 4, 2002, as "Report and Joint Policy Recommendations on Strengthening of Economic Cooperation among China, Japan, and Korea."
Please see NIRA's Website (http://www.nira.go.jp/newse/paper/joint2/abstract.html) for the details of the joint report and policy recommendations.
[ Symposium / Lecture ]
"The 14th Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues"
NIRA cosponsored the "14th Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues" with the North Pacific Region Advanced Research Center (NORPAC) in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on October 2-4, 2002.
The conference commenced in 1989 as a meeting to enable academic exchange between think tanks in the North Pacific region. This year's conference marked the fourteenth meeting. Twenty-seven researchers from eight countries (Canada, the U. S., Russia, China, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Japan) participated in a free and vigorous exchange of viewpoints at this year's conference.
Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues
For the first two days, the conference was closed to the public. Discussions were held on the theme "Searching for a New Framework for Cooperation in the North Pacific Region."
Agreement was reached on the necessity of a framework for regional cooperation in the North Pacific region.
It was agreed that the following conditions will be necessary to establish a framework for regional cooperation in the North Pacific region: (1) sufficient strength and confidence to enable the achievement of cooperation among the nations in the region; (2) leadership; (3) time; and (4) burden sharing/contributions from each nation. It was also pointed out that to narrow the gap in the level of contribution to multinational cooperation between the nations in the region, it will be important to promote "Track II" diplomacy based on a partnership between scholars and government officials. In addition to this, the fact that the economy and security are two sides of the same coin was reiterated.
The followings were proposed as specific frameworks for regional cooperation: (1) a "North Pacific Economic Forum," by means of which nations in the North Pacific region would seek methods of using their resources to support North Korea's economic development; (2) a "grand design for the development of the North Pacific region," looking towards the establishment of a unified hard and soft regional infrastructure, with a focus on the mutual supplementarity of the region's resources, energy systems, environmental zones, and industries; (3) "North Pacific Cooperation in Judiciary and Police" and (4) a "North Pacific Human Security Forum."
North Pacific International Forum
On the third day of the conference, an open forum was held under the theme of "Japan's Direction in a Changing Asia Pacific Region," with the participation of three hundred members of the general public.
During the panel discussion, panelists from participating nations expressed their expectations toward Japan with regard to cooperation in the North Pacific region. Specific reference has made to the importance of burden sharing based on the U.S.-Japan alliance to regional stability, and the necessity of including North Korea in the framework of regional cooperation, with the historical summit meeting between Japan and North Korea suggested as a turning point. In addition, Japan was urged to solve its domestic economic issues by proceeding with structural reforms and to play a role as a partner of other nations in the region.
In addition, expectations were voiced for Japan to adopt a leadership role in moving towards cooperative security in the North Pacific region.
In the second half of the day, a question and answer session was held to enable members of the public to put questions to panelists, after which the three-day conference was closed.
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