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2025-05-27 11:00
2025-05-27 13:00
Europe/Rome
The Causes of Japan's Alliances and the Effects of Japan's Bureaucratic Revolving Door
Hybrid event Teatro (Badia Fiesolana) and Zoom
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This International Relations Working Group session, co-organised with the EU-Asia project of the Robert Schuman Centre, features a presentation by Dr. Mina Pollmann (Independent Researcher) and Dr. Trevor Incerti (University of Amsterdam).
In this talk, the IRWG hosts Dr. Pollman and Dr. Incerti for a discussion on alliance-building in international relations and bureaucratic politics exploring the case of Japan. Dr. Pollmann examines why some leaders may be opposed to potential alliances and identifies seven types of strategic anti-alliance concerns: asymmetry, liability, autonomy, provocation, rigidity, entanglement, and abandonment. Examining the universe of modern Japan’s successful and failed alliance negotiations, she finds that asymmetry concerns were the most significant, and asymmetry and entanglement concerns were the most prevalent. She also finds that even strategically unsound alliances can be formed if backed by powerful domestic interests. Dr. Incerti explores the value of the bureaucratic revolving door to firms in Japan. He reveals a bifurcated job market in which high-ranking officials from prestigious ministries transition to for-profit firms, while lower-ranking officials join non-profit organisations. Top officials drive government loans to for-profit firms, while non-profits secure higher-value contracts when former bureaucrats hold director positions. Top civil servants are therefore of value to for-profit firms, while others secure employment in non-profits supported by government funding.
The Zoom link will be sent upon registration.