G7 Summit, June 2015
The Curious Case of Japanese Leadership in Global
Summitry
Hugo Dobson
The University of Sheffield
Media Centre – G7 Summit. Over recent
now…. an example that the rest of the
years Japan’s prime minister Abe Shinzo
world should be following’. One senior
has emerged as the comeback kid of
scholar of Japan’s international relations
Japanese politics. Tainted and written-off
has recently suggested the emergence of a
after a widely perceived failed first stint as
distinct but risky ‘Abe Doctrine’ in foreign
prime minister from September 2006 to
and security policy. At the end of 2014, Abe
September 2007, he unexpectedly became
won a second consecutive landslide
the first post-Occupation politician to
election, ended the annual turnover of
return to the position of prime minister on
Japanese prime ministers that began with
26 December 2012. Since then Abe’s
his first period in office in 2006, and
reputation and position has gone from
appeared secure in his position for the
strength to strength. He has scotched
foreseeable future.
reports of Japan’s decline and become
inexorably associated with the resurgence
These
assertions of
Japan’s revived
of a strong Japan. In May 2013, The
fortunes and emphasis on the leadership
Economist photo-shopped Abe’s face onto
role of Prime Minister Abe therein stand in
the body of Superman on its front cover
stark contrast to the previously received
with the headline ‘Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
wisdom that Japan was in some kind of
No… It’s Japan!’ In June 2014, one widely
absolute or relative decline, as well as
published commentary boldly argued that
suffering from an associated leadership
the Japanese prime minister was ‘the most
vacuum. The leadership of a rebooted Abe
effective national leader in the world right
2.0 is seen to have manifested itself in a
G7 Summit, June 2015
number of issue-areas. These range from
challenge for Japan represented by the
reviving Japan’s economy under the
global rebalancing of power. Particularly
eponymous set of policies known as
since the Global Economic Crisis of 2008-9,
‘Abenomics’
monetary
this has manifested itself in the perceived
easing to target inflation, fiscal stimulus
irrelevance and attempted reform of the
including a ¥10 trillion package and the
central mechanisms of global governance,
promotion of growth strategies through
mostly established by the US in the Cold
structural reform) to attempting to turn
War period. This apparent decline in the
Japan into a more ‘normal’ country in
influence and relevance of the traditional
security terms through a ‘proactive
institutions of global governance, such as
contribution to peace’, and reinterpreting
the G7 and G8, has appeared to mirror
Japan’s self-imposed ban on the right to
temporally and also compound Japan’s
collective self-defence.
own decline as it has closely aligned itself
(consisting
of
with
these
now
seemingly
defunct
It is entirely understandable that economic
groupings. Second, several of these
and security policies have received the
mechanisms
lion’s share of attention when exploring
especially the more informal, ad hoc ones
the questions of whether Japan’s decline
such as the G7, G8, G20 and World
has been halted and reversed, as well as
Economic Forum, place a much greater
the role of Abe in any such revival. Yet, at
emphasis on the central role played by the
the same time, the narrow focus on these
president, prime minister or chancellor. So,
areas is unfortunate. This is because other
if we wish to gauge the leadership of Abe,
policy areas, such as global summitry,
or any leader for that matter, these
represent an overlooked but pertinent
mechanisms
avenue of enquiry into Abe’s leadership
represent an opportunity by which an
skills.
individual leader can assert him/herself at
of
of
global
global
governance,
governance
a time of reform and reordering.
This is for two reasons. First, analysis of
global summitry can shed insight on the
G7 Summit, June 2015
So, how has Abe fared in terms of being a
and moral decline, particularly in relation
leader in global summitry? One trend that
to the rise of China. Take the most recent
has clearly emerged is that Abe has moved
example of the last G8 summit held in June
away from Japan’s traditional diplomatic
2013 at Lough Erne, Northern Ireland (the
role characterized as an internationalist
2014 Brussels Summit of the G7 was
middle power and nowhere is this more
hijacked by events and ended up becoming
evident that in the case of global summitry.
more of an ad hoc response to the Russian
Across
alphanumeric
annexation of Crimea, conflict in Ukraine
proliferated
and Russia’s suspension from the G8). In
of
the field of economics, Abe’s goal was to
the
range
configurations
across
the
governance
that
of
have
architecture
but
pitch his ‘Abenomics’ programme to his
particularly in the G7 and G8, Japan has
fellow leaders but largely with a domestic
traditionally cherished its seat at the top
audience in mind. Abe sought to preempt
table of global summitry, acted in its self-
open criticism at the summit from some G7
appointed role as representative of Asia,
leaders of the unpredictable and negative
mediated between the US and Europe, and
effects of quantitative easing and the
taken its great power responsibilities
weakening of the yen on the global
seriously as evidenced by its high levels of
economy by explaining ‘Abenomics’ and
compliance with summit commitments
then claiming international endorsement.
and
and
As a result, the policy could be presented
consistently successful summits (at least
at home as an international commitment
according to the ongoing analysis of the
in order to secure further leverage in the
G7, G8 and G20 Research Groups).
face of domestic opposition.
In the place of this internationalist, middle
In the field of security, Abe’s other avowed
power role, Abe has used global summitry
goal was ‘to state Japan’s clear stance
to promote a more narrowly focused,
based on our national interests with regard
nationalist and revisionist agenda focused
to the North Korea nuclear and abduction
on staunching Japan’s perceived material
[of Japanese citizens by North Korean
its
in
recent
global
hosting
of
decades,
relatively
G7 Summit, June 2015
agents] issues’. Again, he was successful in
discussions be limited to the 21st century
securing his fellow leaders’ support over
and avoid discussion of historical cases.
these issues. More radically, an agreement
This
was endorsed at Lough Erne for the
administration would be criticized for its
creation of a comprehensive agreement
revisionist position that questions the level
promoting UK-Japan intelligence sharing
of coercion employed in the system of
and the joint development of defence
enforced sexual slavery, euphemistically
equipment. The agreement allows Japan to
known as the ‘comfort women’, used by
provide the UK with defence technology
the Imperial Japanese Army during the
despite the fears of some that this
Second World War.
was
for
fear
that
the
Abe
contradicts the principles that have
historically banned the export of weapons
So, Abe’s participation in the Lough Erne
and related technology. It demonstrates
Summit highlighted key elements of his
Abe’s willingness to see Japan’s role
evolving foreign policy ‘doctrine’: secure
enhanced in the political/security area
Japan’s great power status by building an
without being overly constrained by
economically strong Japan, promote a
postwar taboos.
more proactive and robust Japanese
security role, and engage in historical
If attention is extended to the broader G8
revisionism to challenge postwar taboos
process of that year then a similar
and constraints. Sadly, this is at the
approach comes clearly into focus. The G8
expense
foreign ministers’ meeting held in April
internationalism and has little to do with
2013 prior to the leaders’ meeting focused
demonstrating
on measures to prevent sexual violence in
governance.
of
Japan’s
leadership
traditional
in
global
conflict. While the Abe administration
stated that it would support this initiative
Turning to this year’s G7 summit that has
from the viewpoint of the human rights of
just concluded at Schloss Elmau, Abe came
women, Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio
to Germany with a number of objectives
emphasized
that reflect a continuation of the ‘Abe
that
the
focus
of
G8
G7 Summit, June 2015
Doctrine’. As it regards managing the rise
China Seas, Abe employed the strategy of
of China, on the one hand Abe was keen to
likening China’s grab for territory in this
have a statement included in the summit
region to Russia’s in Ukraine in order to
declaration related to maritime security
elicit the support of his fellow G7 leaders.
and, although not a claimant in the
He repeatedly stressed the importance of
dispute, ideally condemning China’s land
sovereignty,
reclamation and construction of artificial
condemned the unilateral use of force by
islands in the South China Sea as well as
the strong against the weak. Whilst having
highlighting the implications for territorial
to be careful not to alienate Putin and
disputes in the East China Sea (to which
jeopardize the positive upturn in Japanese-
Japan is a claimant). On the other hand,
Russian relations since Abe took office, it
Abe was faced with possible divisions on
paid dividends as the final declaration
the issue of China’s proposed Asian
expressed concerns (without explicitly
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with
mentioning China) over ‘tensions in the
the United Kingdom, Italy, France and
East and South China Seas… [and strongly
Germany already committed to joining the
opposed] the use of intimidation, coercion
initiative whilst Japan stalls on its decision
or force, as well as any unilateral actions
harboring
that seek to change the status quo, such as
concerns
surrounding
transparency, standards and quality in the
territorial
integrity,
and
large scale land reclamation’.
AIIB’s governance and lending practices.
The Schloss Elmau Summit provided an
At the same time, in his post-summit press
opportunity for Japan to communicate its
conference, Abe echoed the leaders’
concerns to its fellow summiteers.
declaration and stressed numerous times
how it was the shared values of freedom,
democracy, basic human rights and the
rule of law that bind the G7 leaders
The outcome of the summit was largely
together and give it its defining character
positive for Abe. As regards the issue of
as forum. This all chimes with the ‘values-
maritime security and the South and East
oriented diplomacy’ targeted at isolating
G7 Summit, June 2015
China that was the signature foreign policy
statements in G7 and G8 documents since
initiative of his previous administration. At
2003.
this summit, it allowed him to reinforce the
comparison between Russia and China and
Finally, no doubt he would have been
bring the world’s attention to the South
happy with a section in the declaration
China Sea.
dedicated
to
women’s
economic
empowerment as this forms part of the
Abe also took the opportunity afforded by
third pillar of ‘Abenomics’ that stresses
his post-summit press conference to
structural reform. However, there are
emphasize
considerable doubts as to the sincerity and
that
the
legislation
his
administration has introduced to enable
motivation of Abe’s intentions.
Japan to exercise its right of collective selfdefence was in line with accepted
Next year represents an important year for
interpretations
Japanese
Asian leadership and global summitry as
Constitution, despite recent opposition
Japan hosts the G7 and China hosts the
within Japan. He also stressed the
G20. Despite the distractions of a US
safeguards and conditions in place to
presidential election and UK referendum
ensure Japan would only exercise the right
on Europe, clear opportunities exist for a
of collective self-defence appropriately.
coordinated response that puts Asian
of
the
issues firmly on the agenda. However,
As regards security and defence, the goal
numerous obstacles remain. The Abe
of including a statement of condemnation
administration’s continued shift away from
not only over North Korea’s nuclear and
Japan’s
missile programme, but also the abduction
towards a more narrowly focused defence
issue, could be taken as a given, especially
of its great power status, a high-profile
considering Abe’s personal interest in the
security role in response to the rise of
issue and participation in the first high-
China and historical revisionism stand out
level Japan-North Korea summit in 2002, as
as some of the highest hurdles to
well as the regular inclusion of similar
overcome.
traditional
internationalism
G7 Summit, June 2015
The
recent
BBC
drama
37
Days
summitry under the Abe administration as
documented the diplomatic efforts in the
it grapples with its decline by focusing on
run-up to the outbreak of World War One
domestic issues and turns away from
and put the following words into the
global leadership.
mouth of Sir Edward Grey, the British
Foreign Minister: ‘It’s what happens to
great powers when they shrink; the world
shrinks with them and then they cease to
Hugo Dobson is Professor of Japan’s
think about consequences’. In many ways,
International Relations and Head of the
this captures the recent evolution and
School of East Asian Studies, University of
future direction of Japan’s role in global
Sheffield.