In the context of the reversal of globalization, regional strategy has become an important choice for countries to avoid risks, leading to the emergence of competitive regionalism. The Central and Eastern European region has become a focal point of international competition due to its geopolitical importance, with frequent interactions and complex competitive situations between China and Japan in this area. China established the "China Central and Eastern European Countries Cooperation" platform in 2012, deepening its relations with Central and Eastern European countries and arousing Japan's vigilance. Japan is actively building regional cooperation frameworks in Central and Eastern Europe, such as the "V4+Japan", "NB8+Japan", and "Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative". After the Ukrainian crisis in 2022, Japan accelerated its strategic layout in the Central and Eastern European region. There is relatively little academic research on Japan's Central and Eastern European strategy, and research based on the perspective of competitive regionalism needs to be supplemented. Analyzing the historical evolution of Japan's sub regional strategy towards the V4 group in Central and Eastern Europe and exploring its new features has theoretical and practical significance.

1、 Conceptual analysis and existing research

This article introduces the concept of competitive regionalism and its relationship with competitive multilateralism, pointing out that competitive regionalism is the embodiment of competitive multilateralism at the regional level. The article reviews the origin and development of competitive regionalism, including its applications in international political economy, urban competition and spatial planning, and international relations. Special mention was made of competitive regionalism in Central and Eastern Europe, and the competitive situation between the European Union and Russia in the region was analyzed. At the same time, it is pointed out that existing research is mostly focused on East Asia or the Asia Pacific region, with less attention paid to non popular areas such as Central and Eastern Europe. Finally, the article defines competitive regionalism in Central and Eastern Europe based on its characteristics, emphasizing the logic of power balance, institutional checks and balances, and normative competition, as well as the influence of nationalism and state centrism.

2、 The internal logic of competitive regionalism with Japanese characteristics in Central and Eastern Europe

In recent years, Japan has accelerated its international regional strategic layout globally, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, where its competitive regionalism is based on three major logics: power balance, institutional balance, and normative competition. In terms of power balance, Japan has gradually shifted its regional cooperation policy towards multilateralism, regionalism, and bilateralism by promoting regional strategy and coordinating with Europe and America, squeezing the space for action between China and Russia, and attaching importance to the multilateral trading system. In terms of institutional checks and balances, Japan adopts the strategies of "inter institutional checks and balances" and "exclusive institutional checks and balances", constructs an exclusive regional cooperation mechanism, integrates into the local regional cooperation mechanism of Central and Eastern Europe, and strengthens regional presence. In terms of regulating competition, Japan adheres to Western ideology and values, coordinates with the United States and Europe, opposes the "authoritarianism" of China and Russia, uses ideological tools to cooperate with Central and Eastern European countries, and expands the Western camp. Japan's competitive regionalism in Central and Eastern Europe aims to achieve power balance and shape regional order, by building a complex network of regional cooperation relationships, grasping the dominant role of mechanisms and rules, and conducting regional strategic competition against China and Russia.

3、 The historical evolution of Japan's sub regional strategy towards the V4 group from the perspective of competitive regionalism

The historical evolution of Japan's sub regional strategy towards the V4 group was discussed, and four stages were analyzed from the perspective of competitive regionalism. After the Cold War, Japan established contacts with V4 countries through official development assistance, shared development experience, and engaged in standardized competition. At the beginning of the 21st century, with the accession of V4 to the European Union, Japan established the "V4+Japan" dialogue mechanism, strengthened regional presence, and dominated by the logic of institutional checks and balances. In 2006, Japan proposed the concept of "Arc of Freedom and Prosperity", which aimed to standardize the logic of competition and emphasize Western values. After 2010, the power of China and Japan reversed, and Japan accelerated its international regional strategic adjustment, with the triple logic of power, system, and norms working together. Japan's cooperation with the V4 Group has expanded to comprehensive fields such as politics, security, and values, emphasizing shared values and "positive pacifism". Under the US Indo Pacific strategy, Japan expects the V4 group to contribute within the EU and achieve a 'free and open Indo Pacific'. The relationship between Japan and the V4 group has undergone different stages of evolution, and competitive regionalism has shown new changes.

4、 New Characteristics of Japan's Central and Eastern European Regional Strategy

We discussed the new features of Japan's strategy in the Central and Eastern European region, which are reflected in three levels: power balance, institutional checks and balances, and normative competition. Japan's competitive regionalism is based on achieving the strategic goals of a major power, and it progresses through various conceptual versions, actively promoting the linkage between Central and Eastern Europe and regional concepts. Against the backdrop of the Ukrainian crisis, Japan's strategy presents a political and security preference, emphasizing power balance and closely related to the transformation of national security strategy. Japan is attempting to leverage its soft balance advantage through the establishment of a regional cooperation system to constrain cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries. At the same time, it attaches great importance to expanding and improving the existing regional cooperation mechanism system, as well as deeply participating in local regional cooperation mechanisms. In addition, Japan emphasizes values diplomacy and the logic of normative competition, using ideology and normative concepts as a manifestation of national strategic will. Especially after the Ukraine crisis, Japan used values diplomacy to deepen cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries, promoting regional cooperation with high-quality infrastructure construction as a characteristic of norms and concepts, and competing with China. These new features pose challenges to China's cooperation with the Central and Eastern European region, and at the same time, Sino Japanese relations are facing a turning point. Japan's strategic competition in the Central and Eastern European region deserves continued attention.