LEADERSHIP MATTERS: EXPLAINING PARADIPLOMACY IN A UNITARY STATE THROUGH THE WEST JAVA–SHIZUOKA CASE

Abstract

This study examines how political leadership shapes paradiplomacy practices at the subnational level, focusing on the cooperation between the West Java Provincial Government of Indonesia and Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. While existing studies on paradiplomacy in unitary states tend to emphasize institutional and policy dimensions, limited attention has been given to the role of individual leadership characteristics in shaping international engagement. Addressing this gap, this article integrates paradiplomacy theory with political leadership and idiosyncratic approaches to analyze how leadership styles influence the direction and outcomes of subnational foreign cooperation. This research employs a qualitative approach using a descriptive-analytical design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, document analysis, and secondary sources, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study compares the leadership of two Governors of West Java, Ahmad Heryawan and Ridwan Kamil, in managing paradiplomacy initiatives with Shizuoka Prefecture. The findings show that leadership idiosyncrasies significantly shape the orientation, strategy, and outcomes of paradiplomacy. Ahmad Heryawan’s leadership emphasized institutional consolidation and foundational cooperation, while Ridwan Kamil’s leadership demonstrated a more network-oriented and innovation-driven approach, expanding cooperation into digital governance and creative economy sectors. These differences influenced not only the scope of cooperation but also its impact on governance quality, including transparency, capacity building, and international positioning. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of leadership-driven paradiplomacy in a unitary state context and provides a more nuanced understanding of how individual-level factors interact with institutional frameworks in shaping subnational international relations.