Japan-Latin America Relations: Then & Now

8:30 am – 9:00 am Coffee & Registration

9:00 am – 9:30 am Welcome & Opening Remarks

Michael Shifter, President, Inter-American Dialogue
Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX), Co-Chair, Congressional US-Japan Caucus

9:30 am – 11:00 am A New Era in Japan-LAC Relations?

Latin America and the Caribbean have risen on Japan’s list of foreign policy priorities in recent years. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated as much during his 2014 tour of Latin America, the first in ten years by a Japanese head of government. Referencing an indispensable partnership, Abe called for a new era in Japan-Latin America relations, based on stronger cooperation in a variety of fields. Japan’s foreign ministry would also seem committed to stronger cross-Pacific relations in the coming years. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida traveled to the region on three occasions since 2013. His trip to Cuba in 2015 marked the first-ever visit by a Japanese foreign minister to the island nation. How does the Abe administration envision this proposed new era in Japan-LAC engagement? What opportunities exist for enhanced cooperation? What challenges will Japan encounter in its renewed approach to Latin America?

Moderator:

Francisco González, Riordan Roett Senior Associate Professor of Latin American Studies, Johns Hopkins – SAIS

Speakers:

Yasushi Takase, Director General, Latin America and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Mireya Solis, Philip Knight Chair in Japan Studies and Senior Fellow, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Brookings Institution
Arturo Valenzuela, Professor of Government, Georgetown University

11:00 am – 12:30 pm The Japan Model of Economic Engagement: Opportunities for LAC

Japan has been an important trade partner, lender, and investor in LAC for decades. Since the mid 2000’s, Tokyo re-emerged as a leading source of finance for Latin American countries, particularly Brazil and members of the Pacific Alliance. Japanese FDI in the region is also notable, averaging $4.2 billion per year between 2010 and 2013. Despite slowing growth on both sides of the Pacific, Japan and Latin America nations are seeking to build stronger economic partnerships. What factors will shape Japanese economic engagement in the region in the coming years? In what sectors and countries will Japanese firms and financiers focus their efforts? How does Japan’s model of engagement compare to that of China and other major economic partners?