Japan's soft-balancing strategy through the lens of six case studies: hard and soft alliances

Kanako Yamaoka and Gabriel Garcia

Chapter 5 in Japan, Latin America and the Caribbean, 2026, pp 82-126 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines Japan's soft-balancing approach towards Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) through case studies of Chile, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and Cuba, all of which have significant ties to Japan. Pacific-facing nations, such as Chile, Mexico, and Peru, have embraced free trade using a hard-law approach aligned with Japan's principles, while Argentina and Brazil, which are Atlantic nations, have been more hesitant to engage in free trade agreements underpinned by hard law. Cuba, while economically limited in its relations with Japan due to its one-party communist regime and centralized economic system, has served as a key partner for Tokyo in negotiating with leftist countries such as North Korea, as well as guerrilla groups and leftist movements in LAC. This review finds that Japan's strategy toward LAC emphasizes hard-law mechanisms to strengthen its alliances, while resorting to soft-law tools when the application of hard-law instruments proves impractical.

Keywords: Soft Balancing; Hedging; Hard Law; Soft Law; Japan–Argentina Relations; Japan–Brazil Relations; Japan–Chile Relations; Japan–Cuba Relations; Japan–Mexico Relations; Japan–Peru Relations; CPTPP; Economic Partnership Agreements (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035388257
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