Analysis by Veronika Tóth
While the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea posed a significant threat to Japan and South Korea, key US allies in Northeast Asia, their passive responses indicated a reluctance to sacrifice relations with Russia over the conflict. In contrast, reactions to the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war have seen a significant change in the level of commitment demonstrated by Japan and the ROK. This paper aims to answer why Japan and South Korea have adopted a different sanctions policy in response to the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war than they did in the aftermath of the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Three possible factors are considered in answering this question: the influence of the bilateral level and the much-discussed economic interdependencies related to it, the international level, and the domestic level. It is assumed that the latter two factors were more likely to have determined Japan’s and South Korea’s decision to take more tangible steps following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, in line with the rest of the West. The paper concludes that it was primarily the deterioration of the regional environment and the related need to meet the United States’ expectations that has led to a stronger commitment by both countries.
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