Why Japan and Germany must come together
Japan and Germany share much in common, notes Japanese academic Yuichi Morii. In today’s world, both countries also want to “de-risk” from China while becoming less reliant on the US.
Japan and Germany have much in common, including their trade-based economic development, historical background, and particularly cautious attitudes toward the use of military force. However, due to their geographical distance, they have not worked together very much in the areas of politics and security. In recent years, however, they have quickly grown close in those areas.
In July 2024, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended the NATO Summit in Washington and then visited Berlin for a summit meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Kishida reiterated that the two countries, which share the same values and principles, should play an increasing role in upholding and strengthening the free and open international order based on the rule of law, and stressed the significance of further deepening cooperation between Japan and Germany.
Chancellor Scholz, after taking office in 2021, visited Japan first, then China.
If that were all, it might have been just diplomatic rhetoric between G7 leaders who have a close relationship, but there are many signs of a more substantial deepening of cooperation.
Strengthening relations
On 12 July, the day of the summit, the ACSA (Japan-Germany Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement) came into effect, facilitating the provision of goods and services between the Self-Defense Forces and the German Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces), and laying the foundation for promoting closer cooperation.
In the summer of 2021, the frigate “Bayern” of the German Navy visited Japan for the first time in 20 years, followed by Air Force Eurofighters. In July 2024, Eurofighters again visited Japan to conduct joint exercises, and the German frigate “Baden-Wuerttemberg” visited Japan, demonstrating Germany’s presence in the Indo-Pacific.
These moves are based on Germany’s 2020 policy guidelines for the Indo-Pacific, formulated at the end of Angela Merkel’s government.
During the Merkel administration, Germany emphasised economic relations with China and continued a policy that, for a long time, lacked a geopolitical perspective in East Asia. However, the fourth Merkel administration of 2018, came to see China as a “systemic rival” with different values, in line with the view of China presented in the 2019 “EU-China: A Strategic Outlook.”
Chancellor Scholz, after taking office in 2021, visited Japan first, then China. In March 2023, the Japan-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations, involving most cabinet ministers, were institutionalised. Germany has been operating a similar framework for intergovernmental consultations with China since 2011, and now that this system is finally in place with Japan, there is a framework for regular and comprehensive intergovernmental discussions.
Germany is coming to recognise that while China brings economic benefits, it has also become a risk factor.
Balancing China and Russia’s influences
Germany has stressed on several occasions that its increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific is not an attempt to counter China, and that Sino-German intergovernmental consultations and reciprocal visits by heads of state and government are ongoing. Given Germany’s structural economic links with China through investment and local production, due to political reasons, it will not be easy for Germany to “de-risk” and change its economic links with China.
Germany has always been dependent on Russian energy supplies, and made major policy changes to reduce its economic vulnerability following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, it cannot afford to be hostile to China.
However, Germany is coming to recognise that while China brings economic benefits, it has also become a risk factor. To balance this risk, Germany has locked its sights on guidelines for the Indo-Pacific, and strengthening cooperation between Japan and Germany.
Going forward, they cannot continue to rely on the US as they have done since the end of World War II; Japan and Germany have to be more independent in their respective regions.
Less reliant on the US
For Japan, cooperation with Germany has many advantages. Germany is a core member of NATO and the EU, and strengthening relations with it would help boost ties with both NATO and the EU.
As the US presidential election approaches, the future of international politics is becoming more uncertain. Regardless of who the US president is, Japan and Germany are important allies and economic partners to each other. Going forward, they cannot continue to rely on the US as they have done since the end of World War II; Japan and Germany have to be more independent in their respective regions.
Germany has the option of strengthening relations with multilateral frameworks such as the EU or NATO, but Japan does not have such strong regional frameworks, so it is especially important to strengthen ties with a distant partner that has the same values.
Seeing that the situation in international politics has changed with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Germany is working to rapidly strengthen the deterrence value of its allies’ defences. This is not a unilateral action, but a coordinated move within NATO and the EU, as is strengthening Germany’s involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.
Although some countries have expressed concern about Japan strengthening its military, Japan has established parliamentary control over its armed forces. Increasing cooperation with Germany, which operates within NATO and the EU, is also crucial for Japan, given their shared values of human rights and democracy.
This article was first published in Lianhe Zaobao as “加强日德合作在东亚的意义”.
