What is the issue?
Japan is trying to fill the vacuum created by the U.S.’s withdrawal from East Asian affairs.
What is the need?
- China’s ascent combined with the unreliability of a Trump-led U.S. is causing Tokyo to rethink its diplomatic initiatives in Asia.
- While it has been under US’s security net for long, it no longer believes that the U.S. defence umbrella is sufficient for its security.
- Also the US’s “America First Policy” is expected to lead to an overall withdrawal of US interests in the east Asian region.
- Notably, Japan is in a restless neighbourhood, with North Korea’s relentless missile program and China’s aggressive posturing.
What are Japan's recent responses?
- Initiating new security dialogues and developing multilateral trade agreements are currently being prioritised by Japan.
- Constitutional Clause - Japan has been having a pacifist constitution since the 2nd world war.
- As, it was written just after the war devastation under US assistance and severely restricted military budgets and capacity expansion.
- Notably, PM Shinzo Abe has currently promised to revise the restrictive sections to enhance military spending and capabilities.
- Commerce – Chinese growing influence in the region through commercial and strategic partnerships is getting to be a concern for Japan.
- Tokyo is focussing on its capital and technological expertise to influence countries in the region and beyond to counter China.
- Financial Power - Japan is stepping up aid and investment in Southeast Asia.
- Such financing has more than doubled in the last 5 years.
- It has aided the construction of a train line near Manila, a seaport in Cambodia, war reconstruction efforts in Philippines and multiple projects in Vietnam.
- The sales pitches have almost always been by contrasting their products with China’s in terms of safety and reliability.
- TPP - With the U.S.’s departure from Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), Japan has become the principal driving force behind it.
- Notably, at the recent “Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit” in Vietnam, Japan convinced all members on board to agree on the “core elements” of the TPP deal.
- Quadrilateral Alliance - The Quad (that has Japan, India, US & Australia as members) has been envisioned with the phrasing “a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
- This is seemingly an open counter to China’s territorial claims over the South China Sea, through which nearly 30% of world’s trade flows.
How does the future look?
- Japan is aware that unilateral moves would invariably invoke images of militarism and expansionism, which is undesirable.
- Hence, it wants to use the bilateral ties to create a multilateral architecture in the region.
- However, Japan’s aggressions during the 2nd world war has generated considerable hatred for it in the region, which is challenging to mend.
Source: The Hindu
