Japan is becoming more active in Southeast Asia |
Japan is becoming more active in Southeast Asia
The positioning of Japan on the international stage is largely determined by the evolution of its relations with its key ally, the United States. The unpredictability of American foreign policy, which clearly manifested itself in the ‘impromptu’ in the Persian Gulf, has become a source of serious problems for Tokyo.
The United States National Security Strategy for 2025 focuses on the ‘Western Hemisphere,’ which includes the Indo-Pacific region, and it fully aligns with Japan’s interests, because it is precisely here that its main tasks and challenges are concentrated. At the same time, the anti-Iranian operation formally falls beyond the realms of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), the key US military command responsible for protecting interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
One of the important trends in Japan’s positioning in the region is the redistribution of responsibilities within its alliance with the United States, including through cooperation with INDOPACOM, in order to achieve a more balanced distribution. In this regard, the Japanese Ministry of Defence plans to establish shortly a special office that will be responsible for protecting national interests on the ‘Pacific flank.’ During a visit to Ioto Island (Iwo Jima), Defence Minister S. Koizumi, making reference to the increased activity of ‘neighboring states’ in adjacent maritime areas, stressed the need to eliminate the ‘defence vacuum’ in the region.
Revision of basic defence documents
The plans to create a new office should be perceived in the context of a comprehensive revision of three key defence documents, which is to be completed by the end of this year. It is worth recalling that their latest revision........