Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gives a keynote address at the Asia Security Summit in Singapore on June 10. (The Asahi Shimbun)

It will become even more important for nations to work together to prevent unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, from occurring in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan should take the lead in creating a stable regional order by holding up the flag of universal values, such as the rule of law, and listening attentively to the voices of diverse countries in the region.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended and gave a keynote address on June 10 at the Asia Security Summit, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which was being held in Singapore.

It was the first time in eight years for a Japanese prime minister to attend the annual conference after Shinzo Abe did so in 2014.

Cabinet ministers with defense and security portfolios from the United States, China and other countries met under one roof.

The fact that Kishida was there to state Japan’s position and exchange frank views should help the process of regional trust-building through increased transparency.

Kishida shared his understanding of current international affairs in the initial part of his speech. He referred to moves in violation of international law in the South China Sea and the East China Sea as well as “activities not respecting human rights” in the region.

However, Kishida stopped short of naming China, a difference from a joint statement the prime minister issued after a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in May.

He must have chosen not to name the country out of consideration for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where many members have close economic ties with China.

The keynote address was centered on the advancement of a “Kishida Vision for Peace,” which consists of five pillars, including a further promotion of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons and measures to strengthen the functions of the United Nations, including Security Council reforms.

A “fundamental reinforcement” of Japan’s own defense capabilities is another pillar.

Kishida said he is determined to achieve that goal within the next five years, secure a “substantial increase” in the nation’s defense spending and consider the option of allowing Japan to have enemy base strike capability.

He effectively committed himself to those controversial proposals on an international stage before giving sufficient explanations to a domestic audience, partly repeating what he had done at the Japan-U.S. summit last month, in an apparent attempt to turn them into an accomplished fact.

Kishida also stressed that “Japan’s posture as a peace-loving nation will remain unchanged.”

If he is true to his words, he should act cautiously so Japan will not destabilize the region by fueling an arms race on the contrary.

Peaceful coexistence with a rising China would require a multilayered approach, which calls for direct dialogue, cooperation through international institutions and other measures, rather than relying on confrontation by force alone.

It is a welcome move that Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi was to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wei Fenghe, on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit.

Tokyo and Beijing should make headway in mutual communication measures, including installation of a hotline between the authorities of both countries to avert an accidental military encounter.

Kishida called ASEAN an essential partner for creating a regional order.

But members of the regional grouping are not necessarily single-minded when it comes to their relations with China and Russia, among other issues.

An opinion poll released last month by Japan’s Foreign Ministry showed that China topped the list of Group of 20 members ASEAN citizens chose as an “important partner in the future,” overtaking Japan.

Japan should avoid a situation that forces a divide among ASEAN members amid the U.S.-China rivalry by pressing them to choose which camp to side with.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 12

Related News