Robert Patman: Otago University international relations professor on the significance of Prime Minister Chris Luxon's trip to Japan

Prime Minister Chris Luxon aims to spend the next few days in Japan, boosting international business opportunities. 

Japan is the world's fourth largest economy, and New Zealand's fourth largest export destination.

Otago University international relations professor Robert Patman says Japan is potentially a very important economic partner for us.

"We are seeing steadily improving trade with them as part of our arrangement - but obviously, we'd like to give it a boost. I think it's a really smart move on the part of the Government."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Speaking of the Prime Minister and speaking of Japan. This
is part of as we are open for business world tour.
Japan as our fourth largest export partner. Of course, on
the trip carries a significant business delegation if they ever
get there. A professor of international relations at a Tager University,
Robert Patman, is, whether it's Robert, very good morning to.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
You, Good morning mine.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
What's your impression of Japan. Mine of Japan is, yes,
they're big, and yes they're influential. But of all the
countries we do business with, we think of the US,
we think of China, we think of the EU. Ahead
of Japan, Japan seems to fly under the radar. Rabit.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
I agree with you in terms of perception. But since
all governments since twenty seventeen have made up elevating relations
with the Japan a priority, and it's no. And that's
not surprising because all governments since about that period have
been desperate to diversify trade, reduce trade dependence on China.

(00:55):
Japan is a partner with US in the Transpacific Partnership,
comprehend of the progressive Transpacific Partnership. In fact, they were
a leading player after the United States pulled out of
that under mister Trump. So you know, we are seeing
stead of the improving trade with them as part of
that arrangement, but obviously we'd like to give it a boost.
And I think it's you know, I think it's a

(01:16):
really smart move on the part of the government to
signal the priority of really boosting relations with Japan, liberal democracy,
big economy.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Are they open traders. I mean, there's very conservative around
certain as being a rice and cultural bits and pieces.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
But they are like minded, Mike. They do believe in
multilateralism and they do believe in the rules based orders.
So if we can really boost trade relations with them,
we're not going to have the sort of complications we
have dealing with authoritarian states where we really only have
economics or business in comments. So there's a lot of

(01:53):
potential in this relationship, and it's it's it's just frustrating.
But as you saying just before we started speaking about
this breakdown in the plane, is not a good look
for the country when we're trying to sell ourselves as
having really impressive business sector. It just doesn't you know,
it's about time the game I've got on top of this.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, exactly, will security be an issue, things like aucust,
the specific geopolitics of the area.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, I understand that Japan is a like New Zealand
exploring the option of Pillar two. But we already actually
have an upgraded intelligence relationship with Japan, and I think
there's my senses, there's a lot that can be done
to boost by natural security cooperation, and I understand that

(02:40):
the Prime Minister will be saying more about that in
the course of his visit.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
All right, Robert, good to catch up with you appreciate
it very much, Robert Patman, Professor of International Reactions, Out
of a Tiger.

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