States, Multinational Corporations, and Institutional Arrangements

Abstract

This study argues that economic relations between Japan and Southeast Asia have been moving toward greater interdependence in the context of the creation of regional deliberation councils. These maintain the interests of the members within a three-party economic interdependence system, namely, the Japanese government, governments in Southeast Asia, and Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs). Under such institutional arrangements, the Japanese government, in association with Japanese MNCs, has been facilitating economic development in Southeast Asia that benefits Japanese MNCs as well as the regional economy. The establishment of AMEICC, the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)—Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee, and the Vietnam—Japan Joint Initiative (VJJI) will be examined as case studies at the multilateral and bilateral levels, respectively.