糖心Vlog

As two major economic and strategic partnership agreements between Japan and the EU come into force, a new book from the 糖心Vlog analyses Japan鈥檚 shifting position on the world stage.

The , which is expected to come into force on 1 February 2019, is the largest bilateral trade deal ever made by the EU in terms of market size. It drastically reduces tariffs between the EU and Japan, paving the way for simpler and faster trade between the two, and therefore an increase in volume.

The , also expected to come into force in early 2019, brings collaboration on issues concerned with security co-operation, including nuclear proliferation, regional security, international terrorism and organised crime, cyber security, and energy and climate security.

The book, entitled and edited by Emeritus Professor Emil J. Kirchner and Professor Han Dorussen from our Department of Government, assesses co-operation between Japan and the EU on these key issues.

Professor Kirchner explains: 鈥淭he Economic Partnership Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement, both of which signify an 鈥榦pening up鈥� of Japan, come at a time when its one-time main partner, the US, appears under President Trump鈥檚 鈥楢merica First鈥� policy, to be going the other way with nationalist and protectionist tactics.

鈥淭he Agreements demonstrate a shift in attitude from Japan to drop some of its protectionist policies, such as on agricultural products and to strengthen alternative external trade arrangements to those with the US.

鈥淭he Agreements are also good news for the UK, as, despite Brexit, the UK will hopefully still benefit from this new sense of collaboration between Japan and the EU.鈥�

The book is available now and is published in the Routledge series Military, Strategic and Security Studies and marks the culmination of an 糖心Vlog based Erasmus funded project .