Japan's foreign policy priorities and the six key areas

On the occasion of the 201^st Session of the Diet, Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi outlined Japan’s Foreign policy with six key policy areas and “promised to pursue diplomacy with a sense of care and robustness as it takes a panoramic perspective of the world map”. This article outlines the six policy areas essential for Japan’s foreign policy and analyses the importance of these policies in the present international context.

The cornerstone of Japan’s Foreign Policy is to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance as it plays a major role in contributing to peace and stability within the region. This alliance is of great importance as it also deals with common interests in Asia, and in the recent times, the increased Chinese aggressiveness as well as North Korea becoming a de facto nuclear power. Other challenges like the security of maritime traffic, securing stable use of new domains in space and cyberspace, response to regional conflicts, international terrorism and response to proliferation of WMDs has only strengthened the partnership between US and Japan.

According to the National Defence Programme, the Japan-U.S. Alliance along with Japan’s own defence architecture continues to be the cornerstone of Japan’s national security. It is Japan’s foremost responsibility as a sovereign nation to abide with all the rules enshrined in the alliance. It is committed to enhance the alliance’s ability to deter and counter threats in order to strategically promote security cooperation in unison for the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. As America is of utmost importance to Japan, the first State Guest in the era of Reiwa was President Trump and this visit demonstrated the unwavering bond between the two countries. The year of 2020 is of great importance as Japan-U.S. celebrates their 60^th anniversary in this alliance and both countries agreed upon the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement and have also agreed for the Japan-U.S. Digital Trade Agreement.

Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision is incomplete without the United States and Australia, India, ASEAN and Europe as they work towards securing a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law as public goods which bring peace and equal prosperity among all these countries and citizens. Japan’s FOIP would be incomplete without these countries as they are an integral part in the various regional frameworks. It is essential to understand that Japan’s need for a free and open Indo-Pacific is equivalent to its mere survival as it is a maritime nation surrounded and dependent on seas for maritime transportation for the import of energy resources. Japan understands the need to stabilise the use of the maritime domain but it faces disturbances through piracy and by when some countries have been unilaterally claiming rights or taking actions based on their aggressiveness which is an incompatible way for the existing international order and by doing so, they are violating the principle of freedom of high seas.

President Trump in November 2017 during his trip to Asia came in consonance with Japan’s vision of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific and expressed compliance with the principles like respecting the rule of law and freedom of navigation and promoted a free and open Indo-Pacific region along with strengthening alliances in the region. According to the US National Security Survey 2017, China was aiming to displace the United States in the Indo-Pacific region and re-order the region in their favour. The need to reorder was a plan set by China to mount rapid military modernization campaign, influence operations and use predatory economics so that it would be able to limit the access of America and have a free hand in this region. By doing this, China has made sure that apart from the United States of America, the neighbouring countries reordered themselves in the Indo-Pacific which gave China an advantage over these countries as they got themselves entangled in the regional hegemony power game.

As part of their Indo-Pacific region strategy, the United States reinforced their commitment to the freedom of seas and peaceful resolution of territorial and maritime disputes in alignment with the international law and together with Japan, Australia and India aimed to increase the quadrilateral cooperation with its main focus was to provide prosperity and security and help the United States to its strengthen its alliances and partnerships within the Indo-Pacific which would build a security network capable of deterring, aggressing, maintaining stability and ensuring access to common domains. China was trying to influence the Southeast Asian nations either being friendly or arm-twisting them, so America derived as strategy where they provided 300 million dollars to Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) for security assistance and this would improve the security relationships across the Indo-Pacific region. Therefore, it is clear that Japan’s Foreign Policy along with its defence and security policy is incomplete without the United States and so, it is justified to say that cornerstone of Japan’s Foreign Policy is to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. Alliance.

According to Japan’s Foreign Policy, North Korea’s constant provocative actions through its repeated ballistic missile launches are a major security concern for Japan and its surrounding areas. It is totally unacceptable for Japan as it is a peace-loving nation with no nuclear ballistic missiles and no intention to develop as nuclear weapons state. Japan ever since the brutal Hiroshima and Nagasaki incident has remained non-nuclear and as per Peace Constitution of Japan, follows three non- nuclear principles “of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons”. According to Japan’s National Defence Guidelines 2019, in the recent years the frequency of the launch of ballistic missiles by North Korea has increased and they have been successful in improving their operational capabilities like the simultaneous launch and surprise attack. The other worrying factor for Japan is that with maturity in technology, North Korea is already successful in miniaturized nuclear weapons to fit ballistic missile warheads. Though North Korea expressed its intention to denuclearise the entire Korean Peninsula and blew up its nuclear testing site publically, it hasn’t dismantled all the weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges. The NDG also mentioned that North Korea is assessed to have the possession of large-scale cyber units apart of the asymmetric military capabilities and have been engaging in theft of military secrets and using them to develop capabilities to attack crucial infrastructure of foreign countries. All these military developments poses a major threat to Japan’s security and the international community and undermine Japan’s efforts to maintain peace and security in this region. Many efforts like resolutions in the UN Security Council (UNSC) have made it clear that North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities are a clear threat to the international peace and security. North Korea has been notorious in the abduction of Japanese nationals and despite, repeated efforts of Japan to bring back its nationals, North Korea keeps delaying it.

In June 2018, President Trump held an unprecedented summit with North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore and tried to negotiate the dismantling of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program in exchange for sanctions relief along with U.S. security guarantees. This meeting was followed by another meeting in Hanoi in February 2019 and finally in June 2019, President Trump touched ground on North Korea soil. This high-profile meeting failed and then North Korea launched two short-range missiles which resumed the ballistic missiles activities. It has been estimated that by the end of 2019, North Korea had fired at least 25 ballistic missiles in 13 launches which included tests of new short-range and submarine-launched ballistic missiles and also continued to develop infrastructure for the expansion of nuclear weapons, domestic missile industry and engage in a series of U.N.-banned trade deals which had been funded by illicit military operations. Recently, North Korea fired two short-range projectiles into the ocean off its east coast, and South Korea immediately called it an inappropriate military act by North Korea amidst the global coronavirus pandemic. North Korea conducted its military drills despite a border lockdown and quarantine and all these efforts were made to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19. South Korea, a week before the firing of these two short-range projectiles, had received a letter from President Trump, offering to help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic.

On 14^th January 2020, Foreign Minister Motegi of Japan visited the United States and conducted a Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Foreign Minister of Republic of Korea Dr. Kyung-wha Kang, and exchanged views on the recent developments in the current situation regarding North Korea. All these three countries decided to continue to coordinate closely towards the complete denuclearisation of North Korea, and Japan also requested the U.S. and ROK to continue its support towards release of abducted Japanese under detention in North Korea. It is rather evident that North Korea’s notorious behaviour is a major national security threat for Japan, as it threatens Japan’s mere existence as a non-nuclear, peace loving country in the region. Despite, several efforts made by the United States with whom Japan is in a security alliance, North Korea’s ever-evolving and improving military activities are a threat to the security of Japan and South Korea, due to which the entire region of East Asia trembles in constant undercurrents.

The third important aspect of Japan’s Foreign Policy is its devoted active efforts to diplomacy with its neighbouring countries so that the environment surrounding Japan is stable. According to Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook 2019, it is extremely important to build stable relations with China, and is an important bilateral relation for Japan. Both countries have close economic relations, people-to-people interactions and cultural exchanges. In 2018, the 40^th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China was held, and this was accompanied with high-level dialogues between leaders and foreign ministers of both the countries. According to Foreign Minister Motegi, Japan and China share significant responsibilities of peace and prosperity in Asia and all across the world. The international community expects both these nations to uphold these responsibilities. Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the State Visit to Japan by President Xi Jinping had been scheduled for spring and that will open many opportunities for exchanges and cooperation. On the other hand, any unilateral attempts made to change the status quo within the East China Sea wouldn’t be accepted, and Japan has decided to deal with such situations in a calm and resolute manner. Even though, Japan has its concerns over Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and has emphasised its importance through a peaceful resolution of these disputes, keeping the international law in mind. One does need to understand that China’s Wuhan emerged as the epicentre of this coronavirus, and so, many Japanese firms’ factories in China were locked down, which affected the supply chains and China despite being Japan’s biggest trading partner faced a major imports slump in February 2020. Also, there is a strong anti- Chinese sentiment and hate due to its lack of cautions in handling the COVID-19, and Japan has spent 2.2 billion dollars to help companies shift out of China. Japan has been helping China with its mask diplomacy by handing out masks, medical gloves and equipment, and also offered Avigan, the anti-viral vaccination made by Japanese company to combat coronavirus. China’s importance in Japan’s foreign policy wouldn’t reduce as it is an immediate neighbour and China knows that if it needs to ever mediate with the United States, Japan would be the only country to do so.

Apart from China, Republic of Korea (ROK) is an important diplomatic partner for Japan as both see North Korea’s ballistic missiles arrangement as a major security threat to their respective countries. Recently, North Korea, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic shot two short-range projectiles. A Japan-U.S.-ROK meeting was held in February 2020, and in this meeting; leaders reaffirmed their coordination between Japan and ROK as well as between Japan, U.S. and ROK which respect to North Korea’s missile issue. At present, the issue of former civilian workers from the Korean peninsula are of the greatest concern in their bilateral relations as Japan has urged ROK to propose a solution on its own responsibility and also, Japan has consulted the diplomatic authorities in between, to find a solution to this issue. Keeping historical facts and international law in mind, Takeshima has been an inherent territorial integrity of Japan and Japan has decided to be calm and deal with this in a resolute manner. South Korea has been successful in combating the spread of the coronavirus in a big way and Japan can strengthen its relations with the Republic of Korea by taking lessons, methods and effective ways to prevent, control, and combat the virus.

Russia is yet another neighbour of Japan who is very essential in Japan’s Foreign policy. The main outstanding issue between Japan and Russia is of the Northern Territories. Foreign Minister Motegi visited Russia and met Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov and discussed about the peace treaty through the resolution of the territorial issue based on the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration of 1956. There has been steady progress in the joint economic activities of the four Northern Islands and are working towards the implementation of the humanitarian measures for the former residents of those islands. Both the countries work to promote cooperation, especially on an Eight-point Cooperation Plan. Russia is an important country for Japan, as Russia has good relations with China with Russia also having a lot of untapped mineral sources in its Siberian region. As Russia has given many projects to China, Japan hopes to bag some projects and maintain a peaceful co-existence with Russia as well. Also, the U.S. and Russia have always been in a cold war to their historical past with Japan being in a Security Alliance with the U.S. automatically becomes an integral part of the American camp, with Japan being a peace-loving and friendly nation believes in maintaining good relations with all nations.

The increasing tense situation in the Middle East/West Asia is of great concern for Japan, as it imports 90% of its crude oil. Since they are the main suppliers of energy of the world, there is a need to ensure safety of navigation in the waters of the Middle East. Japan has maintained friendship with Iran despite being in a Security alliance with America, and this speaks volumes about Japan’s nature of being a peace-loving friendly country. Japan might utilise a vessel and aircraft of the Self Defence Force in order to strengthen its information network. Japan will implement measures for the safety of navigation, which would be further taken forward by using information-sharing methods with relevant stakeholders. Japan would want peace and stability in this region as it vital for them and the international community.

The fifth aspect of Japan’s foreign policy is to further advance its ‘economic diplomacy’ and establish new common rules. The protectionist wave is all around the world and it is rather essential for Japan to expand a free and fair economic area in order to promote free trade. Japan has been vigorously pursuing an economic partnership agreement, which includes the TPP11 or Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Japan-EU-EPA as well as the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement. Japan will be signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by the end of the year. With the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, Japan also aims to promptly start trade negotiations.

Japan will make leading efforts to reform the new challenges faced in the global economy in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference scheduled for June 2020. Japan has been working on the Japan-U.S. Digital Trade Agreement which would also bring in other countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and together promote the development of international rules on data flow and digital economy under the Osaka Track, which was launched by Japan on the margin of the G20 Summit when Japan was the G20 president last year. Japan needs to work implement and promote the ‘G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment’, the ‘Osaka Blue Ocean Vision’ and the ‘G20 Artificial Intelligence principles’ and through these projects, Japan will be able to demonstrate itself as a global leader and put forward looking visions and principles into practice. Also, many countries recently have eased and lifted their import restrictions on the Japanese food products and Japan plans to work upon a whole of government approach while protecting its intellectual property rights, grant adequate support to Japanese companies in business expansion abroad and also promote foreign direct investment in Japan.

The last point is how Japan addresses global issues. The year of 2020 was termed as the “Decade of Action” to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a wide range of areas were covered like education, health, human rights, refugees and displaced persons, women, disaster risk reduction, climate change and marine plastic litter. They also plan to explore the ways of covering the funding gaps and making strategic use of the Official Development Assistance (ODA). In continuation with last year’s Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Japan strongly supports the African-led development and promotes business and investment in Africa by Japanese private companies, as Africa is the new growing hub of vitality. Also, Japan and India have initiated the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) Vision as part of their greater Indo-Pacific vision and some say that this AAGC Vision is a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The UN celebrates its 75^th anniversary and Japan being a permanent member would ensure UN peace keeping operations and fight terrorism as many Japanese nations are victim of terrorist attacks in the Middle East and Africa.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi outlined Japan’s foreign policy with six key policy areas and promised “to pursue diplomacy with a sense of care and robustness as it takes a panoramic perspective of the world map”. For Japan, diplomacy needs to be pursued with a sense of care and robustness, as it strengthens the foreign policy implementation apparatus. Japanese foreign policy makers believe to strive for a comprehensive diplomatic capacity accompanied with human resources, information gathering and analytical capabilities and also redouble their efforts to promote public diplomacy in order to gain understanding, support and respect from the international community for Japanese policies and initiatives. The aim of these above discussed policies is essential in the functioning of Japan’s Foreign Policy as Japan’s global growing presence helps boost Japanese diplomacy. The secret to Japan’s diplomacy is that it reaches out to every country, making each and every nation feel very special by supporting them financially through ODAs, infrastructural projects, providing technology and most importantly, Japan being a non-nuclear peace-loving country with a non-confrontational and patient attitude makes them feared by none, but loved and respected by one and all. Prime Minister Abe has been able to pursue Japan’s diplomacy with consistent stability and has been tirelessly working towards the growing global presence of Japan in the international scenario despite the uncertainties.

Pic Courtsey- Dr. Rajaram Panda

(Ms Gitanjali Sinha Roy is researcher with Centre for Security and Strategy Studies, www.cescube.com. The views expressed are personal)