Globalization and its Implications for the Asia-Pacific region

The author attempts to assess the impact of globalization on regionalization of international relations in general and how these two forms of integration have contributed to the re-shaping of diplomatic and economic life of the nations in Asia Pacific during the last three-to-four decades in particular. The essay is composed of three sections. The first section is devoted to some theoretical/conceptual arguments about globalization and regionalization. Major arguments are that these two processes of integration are inter-related and not necessarily mutually exclusive, although there could be sometimes serious conflicts between them. A point is made also about an important distinction between two types of regional subsystems: ""segmentation"" (i.e. tight regionalization) and ""differentiation"" (i.e. loose regionalization). The second section is to contour the changing shape of the regional relations of Asia Pacific in the context of ever-increasing influence of globalization by drawing on the findings of the existing studies in which quantitative analysis method is applied. Special attention is paid to the intra-relations of the big regionalism of ""Asia Pacific"" as well as the relationship with extra-regions such as Europe, North America and Latin America. Asia Pacific is depicted as a complex and dynamic region which is still in a formative phase. The third section is a conclusion in which a few remarks are made about future prospects of regionalization of Asia Pacific with particular reference to policy choice for Japan and other Asian countries. There is a danger of a growing schism between ""American-led"" globalization and ""Asian-oriented"" regionalization especially if the United States continues to be influenced by ""market fundamentalism"" and indifference to cultural diversity. Given the enormous size of mutual market penetration between two largest economies (America and Japan), which is really unique, however, it is both unlikely and undesirable for their difference to reach the point of disintegration