ABSTRACT
With rapid advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Japanese Government and the business community have slowly adjusted their views towards the Initiative. As a result, a more willing attitude towards participation is shown, creating optimistic expectations for long-term effective Sino-Japan cooperation in the future. This chapter explores the possibility of such collaboration in maritime transportation, focussing on ports and port cities in Japan. Japan has a long history in port development. Its ports and port cities are critical infrastructure in the Japanese economy. Recent competition from other countries especially those in the Asian region has forced the Japanese Government to reconsider its policies and consequently to restructure the industrial chains, port clusters, location transport networks and city-regions. The chapter argues that the Japanese experiences are relevant to the development of ports and port cities along the various BRI routes, and could be a focal point for future maritime trade cooperation between China and Japan.
