What is NEAR?

The hub of exchange &
cooperation in Northeast Asia

What is NEAR?

The Association of North East Asia Regional Governments

NEAR stands for “the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments.” The acronym spells out the English word, “near”, meaning “close to.”

NEAR is

an independent cooperative organization that strives to achieve mutual development and cooperative exchange in Northeast Asia, consisting of metropolitan and local self-governing governments of six countries such as states, provinces, prefectures, aimags, and metropolitan cities.

Ever since NEAR was established in September 1996, its membership has grown to eighty-one regional governments from six countries, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian Federation, and it encompasses around 700 million people. NEAR facilitates exchange and works in partnership with three international cooperative regional organizations including the Assembly of European Regions (AER), the Regions of Climate Action (R20), and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), and regional professional research institutes.

Purpose

Northeast Asia is emerging as a major global force as one of the three economic pillars along with Europe and North America. The possibility of co-prosperity in the region is increasing through vigorous exchanges and cooperative activities in a wide range of areas.

“In the spirit of reciprocity and equity, “The Association” has the purposes of pursuing joint development of the North East Asian Region and, at the same time, contributing to world peace by building trust on mutual understanding through the establishment of networks for exchanges and cooperation among member governments.” - Article 2, Chapter 1, NEAR Charter

Mission

1. Promote exchange and strengthen solidarity in Northeast Asia.
• growth partner for the whole of Northeast Asia
• facilitate and support exchange of knowledge and experience between Northeast Asian countries
• facilitate and support activities for youth

2. Devise practical means for co-prosperity in Northeast Asia
• facilitate balanced growth strategies in Northeast Asia
• offer advice, expertise, information, and activities and programs to member regions and assist in responding to social, cultural, economic, and environmental issues

3. Contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the region in the international community through international cooperation networks
• utilize partnerships with related organizations, public institutions, and private enterprises that accord with the values of NEAR
• engage related organizations, local social activists, local economic activists, and local politicians in the network to promote NEAR

International Cooperation Partners

International network & Regional Network

NEAR strives to establish international cooperation networks that communicate with regions around the world beyond Northeast Asia through promoting exchange and joint projects with other international organizations.
・Established partnership with AER (Signed MOU on October 12, 2012)
AER (Assembly of European Regions) is an independent organization founded in 1985 to pursue co-prosperity and the subsidiarity of European self-governing bodies which is the idea that central governments should only perform functions that local governments are unable to perform. AER is located in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, and brings together nearly 134 regional governments from 27 countries.

・Established partnership with the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Signed MOU on February 21, 2013)
Established in 1818, the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences is Russia’s national policy research institute and national graduate school. The studies cover oriental studies and islands from the western coast of North Africa to the Pacific Islands. It has recently broadened its scope of studies to cover foreign politics, economics, and social issues and is running nine academic centers and 11 academic divisions.

・Established partnership with R20 (Signed MOU on August 28, 2014)
R20 (Regions of Climate Action) is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 by former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other global leaders in cooperation with the United Nations. R20 aims to help regional governments develop and implement projects, policies, and best practices for low-carbon green growth economic development in the face of climate change. R20 is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

・Established partnership with ICLEI (Signed MOU on June 16, 2016)
ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) is a global network with a membership of more than 1000 cities from 86 countries around the world. ICLEI emphasizes the roles of regional governments and local action to achieve sustainable development goals in the international community. The organization has headquarters in Bonn, Germany and its East Asia Secretariat is located in Seoul, the Republic of Korea.

・Established partnership with Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences under Heilongjiang Provincial Government, China (Signed MOU on June 15, 2017)
The Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences is a major think tank of Heilongjiang Province which was established in 1979. It is a national research institute and a national graduate school in the field of social sciences. In 2018, it amalgamated the Development Research Center of the Heilongjiang Provincial Government and the Heilongjiang People’s Research Institute, thereby expanding the scope of study. Its area of research is mainly focused on politics, economics, law, history among others. It operates 14 research institutes, eight academic departments, and one academic publisher.

Partners from member regions (organizations supporting NEAR)

・Niigata Prefecture, Japan : Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia (ERINA), N.P.O. Foreign Technological Interrelation Association in Niigata
・Toyama Prefecture, Japan : Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center (NPEC), Center for Far Eastern Studies at University of Toyama, Northeast Asian Economic Exchange Center Tottori, Toyama International Center
・Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan : Ishikawa Branch of United Nations Association of Japan, Around Japan Sea Economic Exchange Conference in Hokuriku
・Hyogo Prefecture, Japan : Hyogo Earthquake Memorial 21st Century Research Institute
・Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Republic of Korea : Daegu Gyeongbuk Development Institute
・Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Republic of Korea : Chungbuk Research Institute
・Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Republic of Korea : Gyeongnam Institute
・Khabarovsk Territory, Russia : Economic Research Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)