Transforming East Asia

In this summary you will learn

• How regionalism developed in East Asia
• What benefits more regionalism can bring
• How countries can deflect the threats against regional economic integration and take advantage of its opportunities

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Why you should read Transforming East Asia

East Asia is at a turning point. Sudden economic growth and increased stability in the region are shifting Asia’s geopolitical environment, and the effects are reverberating around the world. Naoko Munakata, a director in Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, has been a close observer of this transition. She offers a distinctive perspective on the progress of economic cooperation in East Asia. She is particularly critical (though always diplomatically so) of American missteps, such as the U.S. government’s failure to participate in stabilization efforts during the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis. Munakata recounts past events with an eye toward a future in which the U.S., Japan and China will accept and adapt to the new realities of East Asia. This detailed analysis of regionalism’s emergence in East Asia is not a light read, but getAbstract finds that it deserves the attention of anyone whose responsibilities include Asian affairs.

About the Author

Naoko Munakata is a director in the manufacturing industries bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.