Japan’s Understanding of the "Rules-Based International Order" |
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) continues to frequently use the term “rules-based international order” in its official publications.
Origins of the Term
“Rules-based order” is often associated with the liberal theory of international relations, the core idea of which is that it is more beneficial for countries to cooperate with each other than to quarrel. Cooperation between states should be realized through multilateral international institutions that establish rules and oversee their implementation.
The practical implementation of such an order is associated with the creation and work of the League of Nations; the term’s use became relevant after the end of World War II and the establishment of the UN. Since then, the term has been most frequently encountered in the political lexicon of American and European politicians.
Japan also adopted it, benefiting from adhering to these principles. The country needed to restore its reputation and credibility after WW2, which was facilitated by maintaining an image of a “law-abiding” country that adheres to international rules.
However, in recent years, the world has changed, the United States has moved away from its support for the liberal international order, and players who have used the term “rules-based international order” have not always articulated the semantic and ideological aspects underlying it, and if they do, they often invest the concept with different meanings.
What, then, does Japan mean by “rules-based order” today?
Japan’s Use of the Term: Theory and Practice
In the 21st century, the Japanese MOFA’s use of “rules-based order” often refers not to the global but to the regional order, particularly international relations in the Indo-Pacific region. The first steps toward this can be seen in 2006, when Prime Minister Aso Taro announced Japan’s desire to create an “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity”— an area stretching from Europe to India, Southeast Asia,........