‘Beyond the Galapagos Syndrome’: Mapping the Future of UK-Japan Economic Cooperation Luke Cavanaugh (ed.), Olivia Bisbee, Owain Cooke, Kezzie Florin-Sefton, Elizabeth Steel
goes to demonstrate that the economic similarities between the countries mean neither is at a major disadvantage in a trading relationship. In many ways, British and Japanese foreign policies can be seen to complement each other’s interests well. For instance, in terms of soft power, Tomohiko Taniguchi has described how ‘Japan and the UK seem to be at opposite ends of the soft power spectrum’ with the UK gaining far more recognition in this area than Japan.30 Whilst in terms of soft-power cooperation, Japan could accrue the most gains from Britain, generalised cooperation will facilitate British access to Japanese markets (which is the third biggest economy in the world). Thus, whilst in many ways Japan and British interests and priorities are very different, their differences appear to offer the potential for a symbiotic relationship. Individual differences in each country’s priorities are complemented by the other’s strengths. There are, however, important differences between the two economies. The UK has had a trade deficit since 1998 with services making up an increasing proportion of its total exports.31 Japan has often had a trade surplus, but this is mostly accounted for by its trade in goods. Although this shows a significant difference between the two markets, it also provides an opportunity for cooperation. Hiroshi Matsuura, the lead Japanese negotiator for CEPA, cites Japan’s robotics expertise and Britain’s expertise in artificial intelligence as just one example of where this difference in emphasis on services and goods between the two economies actually presents an opportunity for both. 32
30
Tomohiko Taniguchi, Brexit: The view from Japan, (In the Long Run, 20 August 2018) < http://www.inthelongrun.org/articles/article/brexit-the-view-from-japan-or-the-tokyo-consensus > accessed 1 September 2021 31 Matthew Ward, 'UK Trade, 1948-2019: Statistics' (House of Commons Briefing Paper, 10 December 2020) <https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8261/> accessed 19 February 2022 32 Chatham house, 'UK-Japan comprehensive economic partnership: The view from both sides' (Chatham House, 5 February 2021) <https://www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/research-event/uk-japan-comprehensive-economic-partnership-vi ew-both-sides> accessed 27 October 2021
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