Economic security will be a pillar of the Kishida administration and national economic statecraft will be a key feature of its foreign policy.
That makes great sense since economic competition is as important to regional power and influence as military rivalry — and Japan can do more to shape outcomes in this domain than any other. But there is always a temptation to confuse parochial interests with genuine national security concerns and use “economic security” to justify protectionism or other expressions of economic nationalism. The new government in Tokyo (like others) must fight that temptation.
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