New Zealand NGOs and Japanese nuclear policy

Reducing nuclear proliferation and encouraging nuclear disarmament are two of the most difficult yet critical tasks for the global community today. These twin goals are central to New Zealand foreign policy, given the country's anti-nuclear stance and Wellington's active international diplomacy in the area.

International relations lecturer Dr Maria Rost Rublee of the University of Auckland is the latest recipient of the Asia:NZ International Relations grant.

Dr Rublee’s research project "New Zealand NGOs and Japanese Nuclear Policy: Best practices for influence" proposes to explore the influence of a New Zealand nongovernmental organisation (NGO) on Japanese nuclear policy.

The research will examine the particular methods that the organisation – the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) – uses to promote nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament in Japan.

The project will evaluate the effectiveness of both the overall efforts and the specific ways that PNND seeks to influence Japanese nuclear policy. “Non-proliferation and disarmament are key to Asia's future peace and prosperity,” says Dr Rublee, “with four declared nuclear powers in the region (China, India, Pakistan and North Korea) and the prospects for several more (including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan). Finding practical ways to diminish nuclear proliferation and promote nuclear disarmament is important to not only New Zealand, but also Asia and the rest of the world.”

Dr Rublee initially identified the project from her own previous research which indicated that PNND is seen as an important actor in promoting the continuance of Japan’s non-nuclear stance.

The grant will enable Dr Rublee to undertake fieldwork in both Wellington and Tokyo.  The fieldwork will look at establishing the specific ways that PNND works to influence policy in Japan and also how PNND's methods shape actions in Japan. Dr Rublee will prepare a general evaluation of how a New Zealand NGO promotes peace in Asia, together with a ‘best practices’ list detailing the most effective methods used by PNND.

“Because New Zealand places a great deal of emphasis on promoting nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament,” points out Dr Rublee, “this research can help both New Zealand's government and its NGO community to find the most effective ways to support these goals within Asia.”

Dr Maria Rublee’s teaching specialties include international security and conflict, international relations theory and critical issues in international security. She is the author of a number of peer-reviewed scholarly publications on nuclear non-proliferation.