ENGAGING RUSSIA IN ASIA PACIFIC

1997–1998

In the post–Cold War era, Russia has become an increasingly important and influential actor in international economics and politics. Its role in the Asia Pacific region, however, has remained relatively weak, as the Russian leadership has tended to be oriented more toward Europe. The constructive engagement of Russia in Asia, however, is important both in terms of improving Russia-Japan relations and in terms of regional stability as a whole.

In 1997, JCIE launched the multinational project titled “Engaging Russia in Asia Pacific” as part of the Asia Pacific Agenda Project (APAP). Under the leadership of Koji Watanabe, senior fellow of JCIE and former Japanese ambassador to Russia, a multinational team of eight researchers evaluated the prospects for Russia’s participation in Asia. The project began in August 1997 with a brainstorming workshop in Tokyo. Papers were presented at a May 1998 conference held in Cebu, Philippines, and were published in 1999 in an edited volume.

PROJECT TEAM

Project Director 

KOJI WATANABESenior Fellow, JCIE; Former Japanese Ambassador to Russia

Participants 

YUTAKA AKINOProfessor, University of Ryukyus

HA YONG-CHOOLProfessor, Department of International Relations, Seoul National University, South Korea

LI JINGJIEProfessor and Director, Institute of East European, Russian and Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China

AMADO M. MENDOZA, JR.Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines; Fellow, Institute of Strategic and Development Studies, the Philippines

K. S. NATHANProfessor of International Relations, University of Malaya, Malaysia

BILVEER SINGHAssociate Professor, National University of Singapore, Singapore

TETSUO SUGANODirector, Michinoku Bank, Ltd., Japan and President, Michinoku Bank (Moscow), Ltd.

YANG MINGJIEDeputy Director/Associate Research Professor, World Politics Division, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, China