Japan-Canada-US Conference Series on Trilateral Cooperation

Abstract:

The 2nd annual trilateral conference between Japan-Canada-US took place on August 30-31, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan. Hosted by the Japan Institute of International Affairs, the conference brought senior academics, policymakers, and business representatives together to explore avenues for trilateral cooperation on Arctic governance and regional architecture issues.

This follows the inaugural meeting in October 2009, hosted by APF Canada and the University of British Columbia, that brought together 35 senior academics, policymakers, and business representatives to examine trilateral cooperation on Arctic navigation and energy security issues. A lunch time discussion examined developments of the multilateral institutional architecture in the region. 

The conference series, taking place over the period of 2009-2012, will explore avenues for trilateral cooperation among Japan, Canada, and the United States. In 2009, the inaugural conference was hosted in Vancouver examining avenues of cooperation on Arctic navigation and energy security issues. Institutions leading this project include: (1) Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada and University of British Columbia (2) Reischauer Centre for East Asian Studies, SAIS, John Hopkins University; (3) the Japan Institute of International Affairs. This research and conference series is supported by a major grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership and financial assistance from the Embassy of Canada in Japan.

A full meeting summary is presented here, with links to individual conference papers by:

2010 Conference

Arctic Governance:

Prof. Kent E. Calder, Johns Hopkins University: “Resource Development and Arctic Governance: An American Perspective”

Prof. David VanderZwaag, Dalhousie University: “The Future of International Institutional Arrangements in the Arctic: Foggy Horizons, Sea of Challenges”

Prof. Atsuko Kanehara, Sophia University: “Legal Governance of Navigation in the Arctic Ocean by Dynamic Interpretation and Application on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”

Dr. William L. Brooks, Johns Hopkins University: “America’s Arctic Awakening: Towards a Comprehensive and Cohesive Policy”

Regional Architecture:

Prof. Yorizumi Watanabe, Keio University (SFC): “Regional Architecture and Trilateral Cooperation – Trade Issues”

Prof. Janice Stein, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto: “Rebalancing Global Architecture”

Prof. Tustomu Kikuchi, JIIA and Aoyama Gakuin University: “Institutional Responses to Uncertainty and Insecurity – Dynamics of Regional Institution Building in the Asia-Pacific”

Commander Blake McBride: “The US Navy’s Arctic Roadmap”

Prof. Brian Job, University of British Columbia: “Regional Architecture: Challenges of Building on Shifting Foundations”

2009 Conference

Arctic Issues:

Prof. David VanderZwaag, Dalhousie University: “Analysis of national laws and reuglations of Canada”

Mr. Brian Flemming: “The Political and Diplomatic Dimensions of Canada’s Arctic Policies: Separating Mirage from Reality”

Prof. Atsuko Kanehara, Rikkyo University: “Internationalization and International Cooperation for the Control of Navigation in the Arctic Ocean”

Energy Security:

Mr. Jon Rozhon, Canadian Energy Research Institute: “Energy Security: Cooperation between Japan, the US and Canada”

Mr. Tadeshi Maeda, Japan Bank for International Cooperation 

Summary: