Japan sees New Zealand as a "persuasive friend" - report

Japan views New Zealand as an increasingly important partner in Asian security affairs, despite our small economy and military, a new report from the Asia New Zealand Foundation says.

The latest research report in Asia:NZ's flagship Outlook series says that while New Zealand cannot contribute much in the way of firepower to deal with Japan's security concerns - such as China and North Korea - it can influence the region's security through its involvement in multilateral forums.

"For this reason, it is very likely that Japan will encourage New Zealand into many 'Asian' regional forums and work closely with New Zealand in order to lead the course of discussions and rule-making in these forums."

The report, Lining Up a Persuasive Friend: Japan's Expectations of How New Zealand Can Contribute to Asian Security, is part of a series Asia:NZ has commissioned looking at New Zealand's place in Asia from the perspective of our regional neighbours.

The report outlines ways in which New Zealand can cooperate with Japan on security issues, including food safety, disaster relief missions and tourist safety in the South Pacific.

New Zealand's increasing economic ties with China and its geographical distance from that country mean it is not likely to share Japan's immediate concerns about China's military activities, the report says. But Japan sees New Zealand as an important partner in Asian affairs because of its common democratic values.

In an accompanying audio interview, the report's author Professor Yoichiro Sato says Japan's main expectation of New Zealand relates to its role in preventing conflict in Asia, rather than its ability to respond to it.

New Zealand can "nudge" China in the direction of becoming a more cooperative regional player, Professor Sato says. "For that task, hard power is not important but ... soft power, intellectual power, diplomatic persuasion - those things are much more important and that's where New Zealand can play a very active and important role."

Professor Sato was a lecturer at Auckland University's Department of Political Studies from 1998 to 2001. He is the Director of International Strategic Studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Beppu, Japan. His previous affiliations include the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, a United States Department of Defense academic institute.

Ends

Click here to read the report and listen to the interview with Professor Yoichiro Sato:

http://www.asianz.org.nz/our-work/knowledge-and-research/outlook-series

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