Japanese Involvement in Central Asia An Early Inter-Asian Post-Neoliberal Case?

This paper looks into the role of policy-making carried out by various governmentofficials in the Japanese financial community who contributed to the formulationand implementation of Japanese “Silk Road Diplomacy” in the 1990s and 2000s. Furthermore,it examines the role of key Japanese ministries in the overall Japanesegeopolitical engagement in Central Asia. When the five Central Asian republics of theussr became independent in 1991, they soon encountered a proactive engagementof Japanese diplomacy toward them. Besides boosting bilateral assistance and economicties, official Tokyo has vigorously promoted the Central Asian states’ eligibilityin many international financial institutions and provided extensive advice on reformpolicies. Both Japanese and Central Asian officials shared a preference for gradualismin economic reforms as a popular approach alternative to the Western neoliberalismin Central Asian countries, although the extent of embracing gradualism varied uponindividual republics and advising officials. Spurred by the failures of the Washingtonconsensus and financial crises of the 1990s, Central Asian gradualism can be regardedas an early precursor attempt at post-neoliberalism.