Exchanging regional perspectives: Peter Kennedy reports on the seventh Track II dialogue between Japan and New Zealand.

• Author: Kennedy, Peter
• Position: CONFERENCE REPORT

The Seventh Track II dialogue between Japan and New Zealand took place in Tokyo on 22 October 2014. The Japanese Institute of International Affairs represented Japan, and the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs and Asia New Zealand Foundation represented New Zealand.

The talks covered a broad range of topics including East Asian security (and relations with the United States, China and the Korean Peninsula), maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region (including the South China Sea and East China Sea); regional economic integration and Japan's economic reforms (in particular Abenomics').

From a Japanese perspective the role of China in the region provided a major focus. Japan has sought to meet what it sees as a systemic challenge by strengthening its national security infrastructure and reinforcing its alliance with the United States (which benefited in public opinion by the assistance the US military provided following by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami). India has also become an important part of relationships within the region.

Maritime security in the South China Sea and the East China Sea continues to be of concern to Japan despite a more recent lessening of tensions. A large number of sea exits from China coincided with Japanese or ASEAN territorial areas. But market risks within China had to a degree become more significant than geo-political risks with original contract and investment conditions as the economy expanded now lapsing.

Troubling situation

The situation in North Korea was not improving with little...