한국일본학회

The current trend toward strategic partnerships in East Asia is driven by a variety of factors, including the uncertain postCold War external order, the limitations of alliances, dissatisfaction with regional security architecture, and the need to expand economic exchanges. In the case of Japan, the perception of uncertainty against their region has been a strong driver of strategic partnerships, and the main cause was the uncertain external circumstance generated after the postCold War. Plus, the rise of China has accelerated the anxiety. The Japanese leader who most actively utilized this strategy was former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe pursued the normalization of Japan, counterbalancing China based on maritime security, and strengthening ties with nations grounded in the values of liberal democracy. To achieve this, the Abe administration tried to foster closer relations with countries in East Asia and actively leveraged the concept of "Strategic Partnerships." Now, Japan has established strategic partnerships with many maritime nations in the South China Sea and has also developed highlevel strategic partnerships with neighboring countries of East Asia such as India and Australia. However, Japan's strategic partnerships, which prioritize maritime security and emphasize liberal democracy, may face limitations due to the diverse political systems of partner countries and the high economic interdependence with China among East Asia nations.