Author(s)

Hu Yingzi

Corresponding Author

Hu Yingzi

Abstract

Since President Xi Jinping came up with the concept of the “Belt and Road” Multilateral Cooperation Initiative in September 2013, an increasing number of countries have joined the Initiative. Fueled by the easing of Sino-Japanese relations, Japan has continuously adjusted its foreign policy and actively responded to this conception. With reference to existing documents, theoretical perspectives and basic viewpoints, this paper explores the attitude and changes of the Japanese Government towards the “Belt and Road” Initiative from the official website documents of the Japanese Government. The Japanese Government's attitude towards the “Belt and Road” Initiative has changed from negative to indecisive, and then to positive response. The reasons for the change in Japanese Government's attitude include the need to develop its domestic economy and open up overseas markets, as well as the changes in international political structure and the U.S. trade protection policy. China and Japan should seize the cooperation opportunity of the “Belt and Road” Initiative and make contributions to the development and prosperity of China and Japan as well as the world.

Keywords

The “Belt and Road” Initiative; Japanese Government; Strategy; Change of Attitude; Geopolitics