Course Description

Move for Mega FTA formation is now going on in Asia. ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) has formed ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of 2015, and plans to build the ASEAN community (which is composed of the three communities, ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Political-Security Community, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community). The EPA between Japan and the EU took effect on Feb. 1st this year (2019). Such moves have given impact to the negotiation on RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) and the negotiation member countries except India signed the agreement of RCEP on 15th of November 2020.
On the other hand though TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) agreement was signed in February 2016 by the 12 supposed member countries, USA broke away from the members. (The remaining 11 countries have made efforts to set up TPP and the TPP agreement was launched as TPP11 on 30th December 2018.) Looking over Europe, UK withdrew from the EU in 2020
In this lecture, above-mentioned integration movements in Asia will be examined through such main actor countries as China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and the USA, by focusing each country’s policy standpoint. We also learn from the European experience such as merits and demerits of the European Community. Well-known experts in this field are invited as instructors. In the spring semester mainly the politics, society, and culture are explained, and in the fall semester economy and integration will be the main topics. A continuous registration for spring and fall is recommended.