Establishing a Framework for Regional Cooperation in the North Pacific:
from Dialogue to Action--From NIRA Hokkaido Forum
[ Contents ]
Chapter 1: The Fifteenth Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues
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1. The Significance of the Hokkaido Conference
This year's meeting marked the fifteenth anniversary of the Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues, which was inaugurated as a result of the necessity of establishing a new framework for the North Pacific region. Discussion in the Conference focused on overcoming the past to build a new society. The Hokkaido Conference is extremely important in facilitating free discussion among representatives of the eight nations participating. In the future it will be essential for the Conference to formulate proposals in cooperation with national governments as a Track two dialogue. (Atsushi Shimokobe)
2. In Retrospect of the fifteenth Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues [PDF format]
Discussions at the Hokkaido Conferences have convened a wide range of issues, ranging from developing a regional security system to fostering economic cooperation. In commemoration of the fifteenth anniversary of the Conference, the participants have come to declare establishing of (1) Free Trade Agreement, (2) North Pacific Energy and Environment Community, (3) International Development Financial Institution, and (4) a Dialogues-Based Security Organization in the North Pacific Region. (Bon Ho Koo)
3. Track Two Dialogues at the Crossroads: Challenge and Options--The Case of the Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues
Track two dialogues enable to build trust and to construct epistemic community among participants. The outcome of such dialogues is, however, extremely difficult to measure, and their effectiveness is presently a subject of considerable debate. This paper examines the impact of track two dialogues through a review of the fifteen-year history of the Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues.(Akiko Fukushima)
Chapter 2 : The Potential for Regional Cooperation in the North Pacific
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1. The Six-Party Talks as a Ray of Light: Ad-Hoc Cooperation in the North Pacific
The achievement of regional cooperation in the North Pacific has hindered by the heterogeneity of the nations composing the region in terms of ethnicity, religion, ideology and political system. North Korea's closed borders and uncooperative stance is the most significant impediment to regional cooperation. Precisely because of this, however, the push for a cooperative framework which disregards minor differences for the greater common interest has recently gathered momentum among the other nations of the region.(Hiroshi Kimura)
2. Toward a Breakthrough in Northeast Asian Regionalism: Overcoming US Ambivalence [PDF format]
Pursuit of regionalism in Northeast Asia over ‚P‚T years has been stunted by cross-border duplicity, historical distrust, great power rivalries, security dilemmas, and lately unilateralism. For a breakthrough the countries of the region should embrace globalization more fully while using regionalism for balance, work together in integrating North Korea while recognizing South Korea's pivotal role, compromise to allow China and Japan to share leadership, and focus on a long-term vision with an active role for Russia. First of all, the U.S. role must be clarified, even if its ambivalence will be hard to overcome. (Gilbert Rozman)
Chapter 3 : What is the North Pacific's "Berlin Wall" that is Hindering the Promotion of Regional Cooperation?
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1. The North Pacific's Berlin Wall: Hindrances to Regional Cooperation [PDF format]
The walls constituting hindrances to regional cooperation in the North Pacific fall into several categories: though derivative from history; territorial controversies, melding divided states - Korea and China Taiwan being prominent examples; and the issues connected with the ongoing process of globalizaiton. None will be resolved quickly or easily but dialogue not conflict is the reasonable approach.(Robert A. Scalapino)
Chapter 4 : What is the Role of Track II Processes in Multilateral Cooperation?
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1. Towards the Implementation of a Cooperative Framework in the North Pacific: The Perspective of a Civil Society
How can Track II activities contribute to the future implementation of a framework for cooperation in the North Pacific? This paper reviews the significance, the role and the method of implementation of international exchanges in postwar Japan, in addition to considering who was assigned the responsibility of overseeing these exchanges, to look at the role of Track II processes in multilateral cooperation.(Tadashi Yamamoto)
Chapter 5 : The Role of the Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues and its Future Perspectives
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2. Promotion of the Internationalization of Hokkaido and the Role of Universities
Since its foundation in ‚P‚W‚V‚U, Hokkaido University has fostered human resources, promoted academic research and contributed to society as a key institution with firm roots in the local region. This paper examines the current status of the international exchanges conducted by the university and its changing role, and goes on to consider the future ideal form of universities. (Mutsuo Nakamura)
3. The Role of the Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues and its Future Perspectives [PDF format]
It is widely acknowledge among the participants in the Hokkaido meetings that they have played a valuable and unique role in pioneering discussion and exchange among research institutes in the region. It has done an admirable job of establishing a relaxed atmosphere and bringing together an interesting set of people. But what should be done in a next phase when there is more competition for attention and resources and in which governments and civil societies need a more precise kind of assistance? (Paul Evans)
The Winner of the Grand Prize of the Essay Contest for the Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues
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Creating Cooperation via Local Government-based Cooperation
With a special focus on Northeast Asia, which is considered to be the most unstable region in the North Pacific area, this paper reevaluates the international roles played by local governments. Through analyses of the ways in which the roles of local governments are dealt with in the context of international agreements in the case of Europe, successful attempts to promote cooperation in the Northeast Asian region and possible sources of funding for local governments, the essay argues that local governments are the international actors which are closest to the citizens of Northeast Asia and demonstrates their tremendous importance in the reestablishment of systems for cooperation in the region.(Hitoshi Yoshida)
Special Report : Analysis of the North Korean Economic Policy in the Era of Kim Jong Il
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Ever since Kim Jong Il came to power in 1994, North Korea has pursued various policies aimed at revitalizing their decrepit economy. In particular, North Korea introduced new reform measures and established a Special Administrative Region in Sinuiju in the second half of 2002. This paper will focus on the distinctive contents, characteristics and limitations of the changes in North Korea's economic policies in the post-Kim Il Sung era. And the future prospects of the North Korea's economy will be examined.(Sang-Kee Kim)
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