JAPAN’S INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY WILL BENEFIT REGION
It will tackle threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction beside bringing stability and prosperity, says Japan’s vice-minister for foreign affairs, Kentaro Sonoura, in an interview with the ‘New Strait
Asean is an important hub between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is facing various maritime threats such as illegal fishing, piracy, terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and natural disasters. Japan’s commitment to the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” aims to tackle these challenges and to create “international public goods” that will bring about stability and prosperity to any country.
Our existing bilateral cooperation between Japan and Malaysia in the areas of infrastructure development, maritime capacity building and defence cooperation, to name a few, are tangible examples of such endeavour.
The effects of these activities will then reinforce the nexus of cooperation in other parts of the region.
The enhanced connectivity through quality infrastructure development will eventually coalesce into a free and open IndoPacific from which, not only Malaysia, but also Asean and the entire Indo-Pacific region will benefit.
of the TPP.
The “Free and Open IndoPacific Strategy” has received positive responses from many countries. For instance, the leaders of Japan and the United States agreed during President Donald Trump’s visit to Japan earlier this year that the two countries would work together to promote peace and prosperity in the region by developing the Indo-Pacific as free and open.
In addition, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India also agreed to align Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” with India’s “Act East Policy”.
Other countries, including members of Asean, have also expressed support for us.
The “Free and Open IndoPacific Strategy” aims to realise a free and open maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region combined with improved connectivity through developing high-quality infrastructure.
These attributes inherent in this strategy would help create a region that would serve as “international public goods”, which bring about stability and prosperity to any country without prejudice.
In this sense, Japan will cooperate with any country, including China, as long as the vision of a free and open IndoPacific is embraced by it.
Abe made this point very clear in his speech at the 23rd International Conference on the Future of Asia on June 5.
He said: The One Belt, One Road initiative holds the potential to connect East and West, as well as the diverse regions found in between. Regarding infrastructure, there is a frame of thinking that is widely shared across the international community. First of all, it is critical for infrastructure to be open to use by all, and to be developed through procurement that is transparent and fair. I, furthermore consider it essential for projects to be economically viable and to be financed by debt that can be repaid, and not to harm the soundness of the debtor nation’s finances. I would expect that the One Belt, One Road initiative will fully incorporate such a common frame of thinking, and come into harmony with the free and fair Trans-Pacific economic zone, and contribute to the peace and prosperity of the region and the world. Japan is ready to extend cooperation from this perspective.”