This is an open access book. Relations between Brazil and Japan progressed dynamically in the
1960s and 1970s centering on the substantial complementarity between Japan's needing primary
goods to sustain high economic growth and Brazil's seeking non-hegemonic investment to
invigorate its resource potential. Now that this complementarity has lost significance the two
countries are restructuring their relations to protect shared values of democracy freedom the
rule of law and the need for maintaining good relations with both China and the United States.
Analyzed here is the development of this renewed bilateral relationship in multiple directions:
productivity global environment and health migration and triangular cooperation in third
countries' development. Facing the prospect of a declining population Japan may become more
open to international migration but the experience with Japanese-descent Brazilian workers
since the amendment of the migration control law in 1990 presents many lessons and challenges
for the symbiosis of multicultural groups. Brazil for its part needs to address social
inequality. To this end it is fundamental to improve the quality of work. This book argues
that Brazil and Japan can benefit from cooperation in managing those country-specific issues.
It also discusses ways that Brazil and Japan can profit from coordinating action on global
problems such as greenhouse gas reduction mitigation of tropical diseases healthy community
building and high-quality infrastructure for poverty reduction.
