Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the speeches and interventions of Japanese parliamentarians in the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) process in order to study the role of Japanese parliamentarians in the promotion of Japan's foreign policy.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores the activities of the National Diet of Japan in the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) process, which is the parliamentary dimension of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). Dialogue with foreign colleagues at international parliamentary institutions (IPIs) not only supports the empowerment and internationalization of parliamentarians but engages them in international promotion of norms. Japanese parliamentarians, as most of their foreign colleagues, have a limited role in international dialogue and decision-making because of their domestic mandate. Yet due to e.g. globalization parliamentarians also in Japan are increasingly required to deal with issues that have international linkages.

The research looks into the speeches and interventions of Japanese parliamentarians in the biennial ASEP meetings and discusses these against Japan's foreign policy norms. What kind of norms do the parliamentarians support and promote at ASEP? Are they consistent with Japan's government-led foreign policy or not? Are the Japanese parliamentarians, often dubbed as rubber stamps of the government, using their parliamentary freedom? What kind of role do the parliamentarians take in the process of norm promotion? Based on the analysis of ASEP meeting reports this research argues that Japanese Diet members perform a three-level process at ASEP. First, they promote the norms and agenda of the Japanese government in which respect they mirror Japan's EU, ASEM and global activity. Second, they drive personal or party agendas, demonstrating that parliamentarians are not mere mouthpieces of the government but bring plurality and even dissonance to Japan's message. Third, they promote norms of parliamentary democracy and parliamentary participation in international affairs. ASEP provides an interesting context thanks to its multifaceted focus (from climate change to world trade issues and education) and multilateral membership that brings together Japan's key neighbours and trade partners, including the European Union, which has often been identified as a natural partner with whom Japan shares common values.

This research produces new knowledge on the little researched area of the Diet's activities in international parliamentary institutions. In addition this study also takes a rare Asia and Japan focused view in the mostly Eurocentric research on international parliamentary institutions and parliamentary diplomacy.