Abstract
This chapter discusses the incremental evolution of EU–Japan security relations in the post-Cold War period. It elaborates on the levels of strategic convergence or divergence on threat perceptions and policy responses between the two entities during the periods 1990–1999, 2000–2009 and 2010–2019. The evolution of the EU–Japan relationship reveals a growing convergence in interests and closer security cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels, especially when addressing global challenges. However, the chapter argues that there is still a notable strategic divergence between Japan and the EU, especially in how they perceive their core security threats that are located in their respective regions. This divergence underpins the low levels of security cooperation. It is explained by geography and various external factors, such as the two entities’ long-standing reliance on and support for the United States, as well as internal variables unique to the EU and Japan.
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Atanassova-Cornelis, E., Singh, B. (2021). Security Relations Between the EU and Japan. In: Christiansen, T., Kirchner, E., Tan, S.S. (eds) The European Union’s Security Relations with Asian Partners. The European Union in International Affairs. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69966-6_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69966-6_17
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