Japan seeks a proactive role in the world

El Mercurio, March 30, 2023

The image could not have been more eloquent. Two leaders of democracies that support a rules-based international order shook hands at a critical moment for the world. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio traveled to Kyiv to reaffirm his support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In this way, Japan expressed its new strategic stance on the ground.

During a recent trip to the Asian country, as part of the program “Building a Multi-layered Network of Japan Experts”, I had the opportunity to engage in dialogue with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the National Security Secretariat, as well as with academics from universities, directors of think tanks, and representatives from the military industry.

A common point in all conversations was the conviction that Japan is at a very complex crossroads due to the deterioration of security in East Asia, as three neighbors have adopted increasingly aggressive stances to assert their interests, thereby jeopardizing the relative peace that has prevailed in the area. Therefore, if military, economic, and political competition is currently redefining the international landscape, it requires a new comprehensive response.

The recent National Security Strategy seeks to provide this, increasing military spending to 2% of GDP (approximately $320 billion by 2027), enhancing counterattack capabilities, and strengthening alliances with countries that share interests and values. Essentially, it is assumed that the country’s prosperity demands that diplomacy, trade, and defense go hand in hand and at the same pace. The commitment to security, after years of self-imposed limitations, is now considered as fundamental as foreign aid and infrastructure connectivity projects to produce effects.

The Lowy Institute of Australia, in its traditional Asia Power Index, has rated Japan as “the quintessential smart power,” as it utilizes its limited resources to exert broad influence in the Indo-Pacific, thanks to its economic capacity, diplomatic influence, defense networks, and cultural promotion.Coming from a country that was reborn with vigor after a devastating war, Prime Minister Kishida’s support (originally from Hiroshima) to help Ukraine with reconstruction takes on a very special significance in these times. A renewed international vocation is already taking shape, moving from dynamism to proactivity in shaping a free and open world.Juan Pablo Toro V.

Executive Director of AthenaLab

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Column published in the Special Edition of El Mercurio on March 30, 2023, on the occasion of Japan’s National Day.

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