Added on 31st March 2026
There is a possibility that the great circle distance of the sea route between the European Union (EU) and Japan will be significantly shortened under this global warming. The new arctic sea route is emerging due to the ice meltdown. Although there are still various challenges to explore this route, it is demanded all the more than before now.
The recent Middle Eastern incidence and the unstable political situation in South Asia may alert Japan and Europe to explore the alternative trade route. North American countries are focusing on the possibly high market potential in this Arctic route. On the top of the trade route between the EU and Japan, this area is essential for shipping the natural energy resources such as petrol oil and natural gas in this region. It is the common geopolitical interest for both the EU and Japan to secure the exploration of this trade route is necessary rather than expectation nowadays.
Furthermore, we must not forget that the legal code of Japan has been based on the legal positivism of the continental Europe since the 19th century! The legal code of Japan is one of the examples backing up the proverb saying "All roads lead to Rome". Yes, the continental European legal code is originated from that of the Roman law.
Japan also kept the exclusive trade tie with the Netherlands from the 17th to the 19th century. When Americans landed on Japan in the 19th century, Dutch was used as the intermediary language between American and Japanese individuals at their first encounters. It might sound plausible Japan could closer to the EU than the USA in terms of this regard especially since the first arrival of Jesuits in the 17th century,
Added on 1st April 2026
Of course, I know there are non-negligible drawbacks in this case scenario. First of all, the EU is heavily bureaucratic which frustrates individual habitants in their daily life as well as their economic and scientific activities. Secondly, their macroeconomic policy still faces the challenge which even the first governor of the European Central Bank (ECB) has pointed out. They have not fixed the problem of the fiscal policy under the European common monetary (EMU) policy while the characteristics of fiscal policy agents in the member states are still not harmonised enough. The aforementioned heavy frustrating bureaucracy tends to keep this kind of required reforms tend to be slower than expected.
Originally written on 4-5th February 2023
The followings are considered to be the conditions to join the European Union (EU) or any other possible economic and political union of countries/states.
- Microeconomics:
1. The high cross border trade (export and import) frequency
2. The labour and capital mobility across the border
- Macroeconomics:
3. The synchronised business cycle (boom and recession) among the member states
4. The balanced fiscal policy neither disrupting the fiscal and monetary policy conducts nor depreciating the economic credibility of the entire union.
- The other aspects:
5. Cultural and historic tie among the member states
6. Geopolitical diplomatic interest
Japan fulfils these conditions except for the forth one because of the massive national debt of Japan. The second and third conditions might be questionable but they are not insignificant at all.
Remember that the foreign tourism is accounted as export&import! The EU members and Japan trade not only physical items but also tourists a lot with each other.
Also remember that Japan had had the international trade with Europeans more than the others since 17th century till the end of Shogunate era! In particular, during Tokugawa dynasty, lasting for approximately 300 years, the Netherlands was only the country which was permitted to trade with Japan implementing the national isolation. Before then, Spanish and Portuguese were the major diplomatic partners until they were banned from it.
Both the EU and Japan very often share the remarkable foreign diplomatic and geopolitical interest. For example, both frequently suffer from Russian aggressions and the geopolitical interests of containing Russia. Both the EU and Japan are required to maintain their sea-lane for both economic and political stabilities so that they had better share their sea-lane and its security.
Thus, I have actually posted on a social network page of European Federalist to request Japan to join the EU to fill the membership position of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK).
PS. This is just a simulation which is not feasible in real so that please do not take this issue seriously.
