During the past half a year, a non-European country has been very active in voicing its concerns over the decision of the British voters to abandon the European Union and, potentially, the access to its market. Surprisingly or not, this country has not been the United States, too focused on the November elections, but Japan, which is in full process of redefining not only its regional profile but also its global footprint.
In Europe, with its traditional partner caught between the Scottish referendum and the deep blue sea of Brexit, Tokyo has the chance to move strategically. Eastern Europe, and specifically Romania, can be the new gateway toward the heart of the old continent. Recent news also help: Confidence among Japan's biggest manufacturers has risen for the second straight quarter, a key central bank survey showed this Monday, and this should signal even more important exports and investment ambitions.
After the 15-page memo on Brexit talks posted on the website of the Foreign Ministry, Japanese businesses are ready, according to Financial Times, to make another public move in urging the British politicians to center the EU-U.K. negotiations around pragmatic economic considerations.