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After the Second World War, Japan began paying war reparations and instituted a strategy of international positioning - based on international cooperation activities - that aimed to ensure the supply of natural resources to its production and trade. Economic security became the target of Japanese cooperation. Japan soon became a major donor, whose strategy has been permeated by its interests. Taking a critical perspective, this paper analyses the evolution of the Japanese cooperation strategy, in particular the changes promoted by the prime minister, Shinzo Abe. Its starting point is a review of the stages of Japanese cooperation (emphasising the outside interference the country has had to respond to), the underpinning of which has shifted from the principle of economic security via the principle of human security to its present greater focus on strategic security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexican foreign policy has been characterized by adherence to the traditional principles of international coexistence established in the Article 89 of the Mexican Constitution. However, during the presidency of Vicente Fox Quesada (2000-2006), Mexico left behind those principles, as the ties that bind Mexico with Latin America were weakened. This trend is clearly illustrated by the breakdown of Mexico's relationships with Venezuela and Cuba. Concurrently the rapprochement of Mexican with the United States was deepened. The policy directives outlined in speeches given by Mr. Jorge Castañeda, Mexican Foreign Minister during the period of Fox's presidency, clearly stated the intention of staying on the side of the United States and maintaining distance from other nations of Latin America. Under the current presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico must take on a commitment to regain the position of Mexico in Latin America and to pursue a strategy that will allow Mexico to negotiate such issues as trade, security and migration with the United States while simultaneously encouraging links with new strategic partners. We assume that foreign policy under Enrique Peña Nieto will favor economic relations with the world, establish a political approach to Latin America, and allow Mexico to remain very close to the United States in order to reach a migration agreement and establish a cooperation strategy in the security field. Since geographic, political and social positions are fundamentals to understand the decisions of Mexican foreign policy issues, we use as a reference framework the principles of critical geopolitics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]