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Arctic Yearbook 2013
China, Japan and the Arctic in 2013
Greenlanders are uncomfortable with the Chinese investment money or the conditionality it implied
(Mcalister, 2013).
Nonetheless, despite rather reluctant reactions from Greenland, the Chinese government appears to
maintain its interest to invest in the region. For instance, in early July 2013, a Chinese investment
delegation visited Nuuk, Greenland to seek business opportunities there. Approximately 20
representatives from the Chinese National Bank, the CDB, and two Chinese mining companies,
formed the delegation (Bech-Bruun, 2013).
Meanwhile, Japan‘s approach to the Arctic has been more low-profile, yet active. On 19 March 2013,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assigned a special ambassador in charge of Arctic Affairs (Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2013). On 28 March, The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), a
private Japanese policy think-tank focused on foreign affairs and security issues, released a report on
Arctic Governance and Japan's Foreign Strategy. The institute has traditionally had a close
relationship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting as an external advisor. The report concludes
with six policy recommendations for the Japanese government:
Construct a win-win relationship with Arctic coastal states regarding resource exploration
and development;
Secure appropriate implementation of UNCLOS;
Build a closer cooperation with the United States on Arctic issues;
Play a leading role in environmental conservation, using Japan's knowledge and
environmental technology;
More active Arctic diplomacy;
Strengthen the government system for Arctic policy, such as establishing an Arctic
Headquarters within the Cabinet Office.
It remains to be seen whether the Japanese government will implement the recommendations in full,
but both the commissioning and tone of the report clearly indicate that Japan has finally recognized
the political importance of Arctic affairs.
Following this, the Japanese Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was renewed in April. In contrast with the
previous version effective until 2012, the new Plan mentioned the Arctic eighteen times, referring
mostly to the natural environment and shipping routes in relation to the Arctic (Cabinet Office of
Japan, 2013). The Japanese government also included the Arctic in the renewed bilateral science and
technology cooperation agreements with Germany and Canada (Embassy of Japan in Canada, 2013).
Idemitsu Petroleum Norge (IPN), a subsidiary of the Idemitsu group, one of Japan‘s largest energy
corporations, has been in the Norwegian Continental Shelf since 1989 (Idemitsu). IPN has been
involved in several projects in four oil extraction sites in the region and plans to extract from Knarr
with having obtained a license from the Norwegian government (NHK, 2013). Oil production is
expected to start in 2014 (Idemitsu).