Basic Study on Japan's Antarctic Diplomacy: Responses to the Evolving Antarctic Regime and its Explanations

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01487
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06020:International relations-related
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: Okubo Ayako 東海大学, 人文学部, 准教授 (40466868)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 南極条約 / 国際協力 / 環境外交 / 環境保護 / 資源管理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined Japan's policy responses to the Antarctic regime, which has evolved from demilitarization and scientific cooperation in the Antarctic region to an international cooperation framework centered on resource management and environmental conservation. Then, it considered the explanatory factors for such responses.
The study demonstrated that while emphasizing the maintenance of the legitimacy of the Antarctic Treaty System and aiming to play a coordinating role, Japan has yet to demonstrate strong leadership in strengthening environmental protection and ecosystem conservation. It also analyzed the explanatory factors of Japan's responses from the perspectives of middle-power diplomacy, domestic political factors, and cognitive factors such as scientific knowledge and norms, utilizing the existing analytical framework for Japan's environmental diplomacy.

Free Research Field

国際関係論、環境政策論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

南極条約の原署名国として、かつ、南極地域における領土権主張を認めない「ノン・クレイマント」として、日本は変容する南極レジームにどのように向き合ってきたのだろうか。また、そうした日本の南極外交のあり方を説明する要因は何か。この問いに対する従来の学術的取組みは極めて限定的であり、本研究の成果には学術的意義がある。また本研究の成果は、遠隔地域の環境保全・資源管理をめぐる多国間枠組みに日本はどのように関与していくべきなのか、政策構想や課題を検討する際の基礎として活用しうる点で社会的意義がある。