Japan, Latin America and the Caribbean: Working Together in a New Indo-Pacific

This timely book examines Japan's foreign policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean in response to emerging global challenges, in particular the escalating US-China rivalry. Kanako Yamaoka and Gabriel Garcia evaluate the methods by which Japan is attempting to forge partnerships and uphold the rule of law within the international order. They assess Japan's soft-balancing strategy, analyzing its use of non-military tools to counter China's growing influence. These methods include reinforcing alliances through hard-law mechanisms such as regional organizations and free trade agreements, as well as integrating Latin America and the Caribbean into Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision. The authors explore both the hard and soft alliances in six key case studies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru. They also outline the diverse responses from Latin America and the Caribbean, with many governments adopting a hedging approach to maximize the benefits from both Japan and China. This book is a crucial resource for scholars and students of international relations, political economy, and economic law, particularly those with a regional focus on Asia-Latin America relations. Providing contextual understanding of regional dynamics, it is also beneficial for business professionals with interests in trade and investment.