Study On The Environmental Diplomacy Of Japan Towards China: Policy And Practice

In the process of becoming a big-political–power after the World War II, it is a tradition for Japan to highlight the importance of the environmental protection on the globe so as to promote its big-political-power diplomacy, and to promote its"environmental diplomacy". In recently years, the economic relationship between Japan and the neighboring countries tends to be closer, while that of political foreign affairs are getting always more tense and aloof day by day. In order to improve the relationship with the neighboring countries, particularly to obtain the support from the Eastern Asian countries in qualifying for the standing member in UN Security Council, Japan tends to enlarge its diplomatic scope beginning with the environmental diplomacy, so as to promote its international status, for the global environmental protection and global cooperation are regarded as the"third importance issue"in international politics. This strategy is also the starting point of the new diplomacy, in which the Japan government intends to change the dilemma of"Cold Politics and Warm Economy"existing in China-Japan Relationship recently.Thus, based on the collection of the related materials and the studies of other scholars, this paper reviews the evolution process and developing trend of environmental foreign policy, which is one of the most important aspects in the Japanese post-war diplomacy, from the perspective of environmental diplomacy. Through analyzing the policy and ideas of Japan's environmental diplomacy and the cases in which the policy is carried out, the new diplomatic trend of Japan towards China and its possible impact are investigated.The environmental diplomacy, which also called biology diplomacy, is a bright new aspect of modern international relationship and the diplomatic practices among different international countries. Generally, it has two implications: the first one is that the sovereignty, regarded as the main body, through official diplomatic activities such as negotiation, bargain, and treaty, etc. executed by the state institutes and officials, deals with and modifies all the activities in the environmental field concerning to the international relationship; the second one is that by making use of the environmental protection, a particular political purpose or any other strategic intentions are achieved.The scope of environmental diplomacy is quite far-ranging, chiefly including the coordination of different nations on the issues concerning to the environmental protection, seeking for the cooperating form on global environmental protection, establishment of international environmental regulation, implementation of the international environmental pact and agreement, tackle the disputes on international environment, and other disputes of territory and territorial seas concerning to the resources and environment. Since the 1970s, all the countries, including developed and developing ones, have realized the significance of environment issues as a new topic of international relationship. As a new idea embedded in the international politics and relationship,"sustainable development"has rooted into the diplomatic policy and practice. Today, what proposed and promoted are the coordinated development of environmental protection and exploitation, as well as the establishment of a harmonious and sustainable development in the international society. Therefore, the environmental issues are not only a new topic in international politics, but also, as important as the international security and economics, are one of the most important topics in the international politics.In the rocketing development after World War II, Japan has also confronted the trouble caused by environment. Taking the United Nations Conference on Human Environment of 1972 held in Stockholm, and the establishment of United Nations Development Programme as a turning point, Japan began to attach emphasis to environment protection. In 1980, Japan proposed the comprehensive safety and security strategy, and made it as the first step on the way towards a major political power. Gradually, Japan began to turn its attention from home to abroad. In the Diplomatic Bluebook 1989, Japan for the first time declared that the issues of environment should be put on table as a diplomatic issue for Japan, which stands a vital position in the diplomatic strategic framework, and the environmental diplomacy should be put in practice in an activate way. After the cold war, especially after the coming of the 21st century, with the view that"global environment is the most important topic in establishing a peaceful and flouring social framework post-war", the Japanese government regarded the environmental protection as the most vital battle field in the development of big-political-power diplomacy, and elevated the environment to a strategic level related to the maintenance of national security, enhancing its international weight, and promoting national development(Diplomatic Bluebook 1993).Within the framework of Peace Constitution, the Japanese diplomacy has made a far more significant progress in the economic field compared with the political and military, which has boosted the Japan's establishment as a major worldwide economic power, and enhanced its international status. Supported by the advanced technology, abundant fund, and experience, Japan took an active part in"environmental diplomacy", characterizing as broad range, and long term, and has made a great improvement.After the Normalization of Sino- Japanese Relationship, in the process of the aiding from Japan to China, and in the trading relation between the two countries, the environment is also a key point among them. Since the implementation of the fourth loan to China in 1996, the issues of environment have become one of the key points attracted more attention. In 1997, in the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, the idea of Sino-Japanese environmental cooperation facing the 21st century was proposed. In recent 10 years, the environmental cooperation between China and Japan has achieved a lot. Moreover, the environmental diplomacy, the essential aspect and activity for improving the relationship and strengthening international cooperation, became the basis of the diplomatic strategy and policy of Japan towards China.Heavily influenced by the idealism, the underlying intention of the environmental diplomacy put forward by Japan is still full of doubt and vagueness, and the implication, modes and methods of implement, and the influence on Sino-Japan relation, even on the Japan-Eastern Asian relation are still demanding a necessary reviewing and reinvestigation. Similarly, some understanding and conceptual paradox on the governmental or nongovernmental environmental cooperation between China and Japan is demanding a clarification as well.In this paper, the topics mentioned above are presented and analyzed in the following sections:In the first part, the concept and theoretical implication of environmental diplomacy are analyzed, and the current study trend and achievements in this field are reorganized and reviewed, based on which the objective of this research is proposed. In the second part, it reviews how Japan proposed the idea of environmental diplomacy, how the policy evolved, and what is the significance of its success or failure. In the third part, it shed light on the environmental diplomacy and international cooperation of Japan towards China, especially on the idea, policy and the implement, and then analyses the essence and features of the environmental diplomacy policy. In the fourth part, it analyses and foresees the strategic significance environmental diplomacy of Japan and its impact on Sino-Japan relationship. Finally, the analysis and discussion in this paper is organized, and a preliminary conclusion is proposed.The key point, which is also the hard point in this paper, relies on reviewing and identifying the status and function of the environmental diplomacy in the Japan's foreign strategy from the perspective of long-term or middle long-term strategy. The academic contribution of the paper lies on the illustration that the environmental diplomacy of Japan to China is the main method with which Japan promoted its big-political-power diplomacy, and it reflects the strategic aim of Japan which emphasizes the maximum of the national interest, as well as the combination of idealism and realism in Japan's foreign strategy. This paper, as a trial policy study, affirms the positive influence of the environmental diplomacy of Japan on improving Sino-Japan relationship on one hand, on the other hand, it also proposes that the special political and economic scheme and the negative impact of this policy should never be ignored. The suggestions on the political idea and system establishment of environmental diplomacy for China are clearly proposed in the end.