How policies toward North Korea differ among Japan, the United States, South Korea, and China?

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H00828
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06020:International relations-related
• Research Institution: Nanzan University
• Principal Investigator: Hiraiwa Shunji 南山大学, 総合政策学部, 教授 (10248792)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 星野 昌裕 南山大学, 総合政策学部, 教授 (00316150) ; 崔 慶原 常葉大学, 外国語学部, 准教授 (00637382) ; 礒崎 敦仁 慶應義塾大学, 法学部(日吉), 准教授 (40453534)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 北朝鮮

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines how policies toward North Korea differ among Japan, the United States, South Korea, and China. It also looks into whether the differences are due to their respective domestic politics or changes in the North Korean situation. The study explores the common characteristics and policy patterns in the four countries’ diplomatic relations with North Korea, with policies related to North Korean nuclear and missile development as the primary target for analysis.
With the study’s work divided among the participants, document research in each country and interviews with foreign affairs personnel were conducted. However, some visits had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research results were widely disseminated through articles and academic conference presentations. The lead researcher and all participants were able to simultaneously publish different in peer-reviewed English-language academic journals.

Free Research Field

北朝鮮政治外交

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日米韓中の４カ国は、いずれも北朝鮮問題に関わる当事者であるが、対北朝鮮政策には大きな相違点がある。その要因は対北朝鮮認識の相違によるところが大きい。日本では政権交代による対北朝鮮政策の変化に大きな違いは見られないが、特に韓国では保守政権、進歩政権のそれぞれで政策が大きく変化する。これらを公開シンポジウムや学術論文で公表することで、学術的にも社会的にも北朝鮮問題への一視角を提供することができた。