Japanese-Mongolian relations in the post-bipolar period within the context of Mongolia’s “third neighbor” policy

This article studies the relations between Mongolia and Japan, one of its key partners in accordance with the former's “third neighbor” foreign policy concept, in the modern era. The purpose of this research is to determine the following: what are the reasons for the relations with Japan becoming so important for the Mongolians in the post-bipolar period; to what extent the cooperation with Mongolia became beneficial to the Japanese side; what are the main spheres in which the Japanese-Mongolian relations are developing. Having briefly described the ties between Japan and Mongolia during the Soviet period, the author proceeds to analyze their political relations in bilateral and multilateral formats, especially noting the mediating role of Mongolia in resolving the conflict on the Korean Peninsula. The following sphere of examination comprises Japanese gratuitous aid and preferential credits granted to Mongolia, which allowed the former socialist country to overcome the economic crisis of the 1990s and perform the transition to a market economy much easier and afterwards contributed greatly to the development of Mongolia’s strategically important industries, such as mining, infrastructure construction, energy, and human resources. The author notes that, despite the modest volume of bilateral trade compared to Mongolia’s closest neighbors, Japan found its niche in the Mongolian market by exporting high-tech products to this country. The bilateral Agreement on Economic Partnership concluded in 2015 and the steady interest of Japanese corporations in implementing projects on the Mongolian soil also guarantee further expansion of Japanese-Mongolian ties in trade and investment. Such issues as the cooperation between Japan and Mongolia in the spheres of education and health care, as well as the considerable interest of the Mongolian people to the Japanese language, culture, and sports, are not left unnoticed. In conclusion, the author emphasizes that, while, at first, the central element of bilateral Japanese-Mongolian relations was, in fact, the Japanese humanitarian assistance to the developing country going through a deep crisis, right now the cooperation between the two countries is mutually beneficial and is developing in multiple directions, with its significance for both sides rapidly increasing.

«третий сосед», Japan, Mongolia, the “third neighbor”, relations between Mongolia and Japan, inter-Korean dialogue, financial assistance, agreement, partnership

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