Japan and its Partners in the Indo-Pacific: Engagements and Alignment

Description

The book studies the development of Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision. As strategic competition grows, the lessons from the pandemic, the deepening Sino-US rivalry, and the United States losing grip on the current world strategic environment all compel Japan to focus its attention on the Indo-Pacific region. The volume examines Japan's foreign policy through an analysis of its strategic agenda, economic calculations, maritime security concerns, and soft power policies. It looks at Japan’s relations with United States, Australia, India, Vietnam, Africa, South Korea, Indonesia, and the United States in the context of Japan’s bilateral and multilateral arrangements. An important contribution to the study of politics in the Indo-Pacific region, the book will be an indispensable resource for students and researchers of political science, international relations, foreign policy, geopolitics, security studies, strategic studies, as well as area studies – namely East and Southeast Asian studies and Indo-Pacific studies. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Illustrations Tables Figures List of Contributors Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Chapter 1: Japan’s Unwavering Commitment to a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”: Generating Synergy among Partners Toward a Common Vision 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision 1.2.1 Opportunities and Challenges in the Indo-Pacific 1.2.2 Practical Cooperation under Three Pillars 1.2.3 Close Partnerships to Generate Synergy 1.2.3.1 India 1.2.3.2 ASEAN 1.2.3.3 The United States and Australia 1.2.3.4 Europe 1.2.3.5 The Quad 1.3 Ways Ahead Notes Chapter 2: Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”: The Economic Calculation 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Economic Calculation 2.3 Trade Architecture: Japan’s Leadership 2.4 Official Development Assistance 2.4.1 Connectivity through Infrastructure Projects 2.4.2 Capacity Building Assistance through Human Resource Development and Infrastructure 2.4.3 Rule of Law: Peace Building 2.5 Foreign Direct Investment 2.6 Economic Agenda Post-Pandemic 2.7 Conclusion Notes Chapter 3: The “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” Strategy: Evolving Japan’s Maritime Security Strategy 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Japan’s Indo-Pacific Strategic Discourse 3.3 Evolution of the Indo-Pacific Framework 3.4 Japan’s Emerging Security Posture and FOIP 3.5 Maritime Security Strategy of Japan and FOIP 3.6 Conclusion Notes Chapter 4: The Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Japan’s “Soft” Push-Shaping Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia and India 4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 Defining Soft Power 4.1.2 Abe’s Dream for Japan 4.2 Japan’s Historical Position vis-à-vis Southeast Asia 4.2.1 The Beginnings of Power Dreams 4.2.2 Soft Power as Nation Branding and “Image” Creation 4.2.3 “Cool” and Pop Culture as State Foreign Policy 4.2.4 “The Medium Is the Message”: Japanese Soft Power and Mass Media 4.2.5 When Fashion “Designs Dreams” – Soft Power and Japanese Fashion 4.3 Japanese Soft-Power Engagement with Southeast Asia and South Asia 4.4 Japanese Soft-Power Engagement with India 4.5 Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 5: The Japan-US Relationship: Imagining Its Future in the Indo-Pacific Era 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Adapting the Alliance, 1951–2021 5.3 The Indo-Pacific Era 5.4 Possible Futures 5.5 Conclusion Notes References Chapter 6: Japan and Australia Relations: A Strategic Partnership for the Indo-Pacific Century 6.1 Introduction: From “Quasi-allies” to “Special Strategic Partners” 6.2 The Japan-Australia Strategic Partnership Enters the Indo-Pacific Century 6.2.1 A Rules-Based Order 6.2.2 Non-traditional Security Challenges 6.2.3 Regional Architectures 6.3 The “China Factor” in Bilateral Relations 6.4 Conclusions: Toward a Formal “Alliance”? References Chapter 7: Japan-India Relations in Japan’s Notion of Indo-Pacific: Genesis, Difference, and Convergence 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Genesis: Early Years of the “Indo-Pacific” in India-Japan Relations 7.3 Difference: India’s “Inclusive” Indo-Pacific 7.4 Convergence: Japan’s Policy Change from “Strategy” to “Vision” 7.5 Conclusion Notes References Chapter 8: Japan-India Relations: Changing Contours for Regional Prosperity 8.1 Introduction: Prelude to Indo-Pacific Partnership 8.2 Tracing the Origin of the Indo-Pacific Concept 8.3 Revival of Value-Based Diplomacy 8.4 Indo-Pacific: From Strategy to Vision 8.5 India’s Response to Japan’s FOIP 8.6 Many Dimensions in the Indo-Pacific Region: India and Japan Engagement 8.6.1 Defense and Military Dimension 8.6.2 Trade and Economic Dimension 8.6.3 Infrastructure Dimension 8.7 Issues and Challenges in the Indo-Pacific 8.8 Conclusion References Chapter 9: Japan-Vietnam Relations: Factoring Vietnam in Abe’s Southeast Asia Policy 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Abe’s Policy Toward Southeast Asia 9.2.1 Goals and Objectives of Japan’s Southeast Asian Policy 9.2.2 Pillars and Implementation of Southeast Asian Policy 9.2.2.1 Japan’s View on ASEAN as a Unified Entity 9.3 Future Policy Direction in Japan’s Policy 9.4 The Impact of Japan’s Policy on Southeast Asia 9.5 Overview of Japan and Vietnam Relations 9.5.1 New Stage of Development of Strategic Partnership 9.6 Vietnam Cooperation with Japan: A Way Ahead 9.7 Conclusion Notes References Chapter 10: Japan-Indonesia Relations: Counterbalancing Power Play and the Role of Japan 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Middle Powers and Strategic Culture 10.3 Indonesian Strategic Culture, Great Power Competition, and ASEAN Centrality 10.4 A New Foreign Policy? 10.5 Role for Japan 10.6 Conclusion References Chapter 11: Japan-Africa Relations: Looking at a Constructive Engagement 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Historical Overview of Japan-Africa Relations 11.2.1 Japanese Encounters with Africa 11.2.2 Beginning of African Studies in Japan 11.3 Evolution of Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (1993–2019) 11.3.1 TICAD as a Forum for International Development (TICAD I – TICAD III) 11.3.2 TICAD as a Forum for Public-Private Partnership (TICAD IV – TICAD 7) 11.4 (Re)emergence of Geoeconomics? 11.5 Conclusion Notes References Chapter 12: Japan-South Korean Relations: Addressing the Deadlock 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Long-Term Trends in Relations between Japan and South Korea 12.3 The Accumulation of Distrust 12.4 Conclusion Notes References Index