Discussion Seminar: Are we becoming Japanese now? Japan's experience and its relevance to Europe.
Europe and Japan share many similarities. Both are long-time allies of the United States, have for decades held the biggest economies and richest populations in the world, and were early givers of development assistance to third regions. Furthermore, the European Union and Japan have emphasized the use of economic, rather than military, instruments in their foreign policies and are now facing vast challenges of slow domestic economic growth and fiscal austerity. In addition, they are confronted with increased competition in the economic, political and military fields - primarily from China.
Even so, Europe has hardly been willing to learn from Japan’s experience and the two sides seem to miss out on opportunities to cooperate on the international scene. This seminar wants to take another look at Japan, and assess how that country’s experience is of relevance to European countries today. This is not just with an eye on preventing mistakes that Japan made in the early phases of its economic and monetary crises, almost two decades ago. Also of interest are Japan’s evolving relationship with the United States and its geographical and cultural closeness to the most rapidly developing region in the world, East Asia. Japan’s decades-long experience as the only non-western member of the group of developed countries suggest that its experience is of broader relevance to tomorrow’s world, wherein a larger group of Asian countries will be more influential.
On Thursday 2 February Clingendael Asia Studies organizes a discussion seminar about the relevance of Japan’s experience to European countries. Three experts will each introduce an area of particular interest in this regard. The meeting aims for open and in-depth discussion between all participants and sets out to identify grounds for further dialogue in this field.
