Japan’s Policy on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Light of IR Theory and Analytical Eclecticism Daisuke Akimoto PhD Independent Scholar Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
[email protected] Abstract Japan’s policy toward the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement has been controversial at the political, academic, and public levels. The domestic debate on the TPP literally split public opinion in Japan, and academic analyses are apt to be argumentatively divided into pros and cons. Likewise, earlier studies regarding the TPP in the field of international relations offered particular theoretical perspectives, yet tended not to conduct eclectic theoretical examination. In order to overcome the research gap, this paper attempts to provide both narrative and theoretical explanations by applying international relations (IR) theory in combination with “analytical eclecticism” as a research method in the field of global and international studies. As an application of IR theory and analytical eclecticism, this paper seeks to offer multiple theoretical perspectives and analysis on why Japan has supported and facilitated the TPP even after the withdrawal of the United States during the Trump administration. Keywords: analytical eclecticism, Asia Pacific region, international relations (IR) theory, Japan, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Journal of International and Global Studies Volume 10, Number 2 2 Introduction Japan’s policy on the “Trans-Pacific Partnership” (TPP), a multilateral trade agreement, dates back to the administration of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which governed Japan from September 2009 to December 2012. In October 2010, Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed Japan’s intention to participate in negotiations of the TPP, and in November 2011, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda officially stated that Japan would join the TPP negotiations.