Japanese foreign policy and peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro - new engagement for Japanese government and JICA-

• Main Author: Kawanishi, Yusuke
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2021
• Subjects: International relations > Japan; Peace-building > Philippines > Mindanao; Peace; Conflict management; Dispute resolution (Law); International Relations; Peace and Conflict Studies; Political Science
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdm_polsci/2
• Institution: De La Salle University

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the reasons for Japan’s strong involvement in the Mindanao peace process including the launch of the J-BIRD (Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development) programme in 2006, which is the first case of strong but successful case outside the UN scheme. To analyse the specific reasons for the Japanese contribution, this paper assesses Japanese foreign policy-making to understand why Japan began to show its presence in the conflict resolution area during the Mindanao peace process. Design/methodology/approach: This paper mainly follows a qualitative methodology. Data from official records of proceedings and interviews with government officials, officers at JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), and officers in some non-governmental bodies involved as representative organisations in the ICG (International Contact Group) were used as primary research data. Related literature from researchers, government agencies and institutions were used as secondary data to support the primary data for validation, as this literature claims that there is a linkage between the two. Originality/value: This research concludes that Japan decided to assist the entire peace process because the country identified better international and internal conditions to facilitate the success of the peace agreement consolidation between the parties in the dispute without changing its traditional foreign policy, largely in contrast with Aceh or Sri Lanka. Therefore, this is a unique and successful case of a Japanese-style conflict resolution effort succeeding within Japanese foreign policy. The findings from this research will help future Japanese peacebuilding efforts as a successful model involving international cooperation, but no military officials in conflict-affected areas.