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Competition of Provision: How Rivalries between Indo-Pacific Institutions Can Generate Goods for the Region

Rikio Inouye

Toyama, 2017–2020

The US-Japan alliance has remained the keystone relationship in the broader Indo-Pacific security architecture and this bilateral relationship has been the foundation for additional multi- and minilateral institutions like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). As Chinese-led institutions like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) create alternatives and competitors, it is worth asking how competition between US-Japan-led institutions and Chinese-led institutions will affect the region. Competition between US-Japan-led institutions and Chinese-led institutions could generate positive externalities as these different institutions compete to provide public goods to the region. The Quad Vaccine Initiative, and China’s Belt and Road Vaccine Partnership Initiative are suggestive of this; these two efforts demonstrate how such competition can assist in the production and distribution of vaccines for countries in the Indo-Pacific. Thus, competition between China and the US-Japan “clubs” of organizations may generate positive externalities for the region.

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About the Author

Rikio Inouye is a Ph.D. student of international relations with an interest in great power rivalry and security management in the Asia/Indo-Pacific region. His current research interests also include vaccine diplomacy in the context of the US-China competition, with a particular focus on the patterns, motivations, and diplomatic potential of global vaccine distribution. He received his BA in political science with highest honors from UC Berkeley. Before graduate study, Rikio taught English and debate in Toyama Prefecture from 2017-2020.

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About the JETs on Japan Forum

The JETs on Japan Forum is a partnership between USJETAA and Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) that features selected articles of JET alumni perspectives on U.S.-Japan relations. The series aims to elevate the awareness and visibility of JET alumni working across diverse sectors and provides a platform for JET alumni to contribute to deeper understanding of U.S.-Japan relations from their fields. The articles will be posted on USJETAA’s website to serve as resource to the wider JET alumni and U.S.-Japan communities on how alumni of this exchange program are continuing to serve as informal ambassadors in U.S.-Japan relations.

Submissions are encouraged from mid-to-senior level professionals who are established in the current fields OR current/recent graduate degree students in both masters and doctoral programs. Click here for more information on how to submit a proposal for consideration.