Japan's military assistance programme in Southeast Asia
Japan in response to an assertive Beijing and a belligerent Pyongyang on its doorstep has stepped up engagement in the region through military assistance. However, to fully comprehend what drives Tokyo’s aid, we need to recognize the role military assistance plays in the international arena. Once we arrive at an understanding of such programs, we can fully grasp why Japan is aiding the countries in the region and the island nation’s changing role in regional security.
Role of Military Assistance in International Arena:
Military assistance was the first form of foreign aid, it was designed to help countries which were considered strategically important. The aid can come in various forms such as in the form of training being provided by one country to another or giving credits to the buyer for purchasing weapons from the donor country.
During the cold war, Truman administration provided aid to Greece to protect the government in the struggle against communist guerrillas. With regards to western Europe, President Truman had proposed a military assistance program in 1949 which was passed by Congress in October, and it permitted America to appropriate $1.4 billion to build the defences and prevent Soviet advances.
In the 21st century the American goliath has supported war efforts through military assistance to Iraq and Afghanistan. It has sought to utilize its economic might to protect strategic interests such as providing training to the Afghan army to enable them to retain control of the territory and prevent Taliban’s resurgence.
Military assistance was provided during the cold war under the pretext of containing communism and following its end, it has been utilized for US’ war on terror. In this section, we have seen how military assistance has been employed by Washington’s in its engagement with the world.
Japan’s aid in Southeast Asia:
Cambodia
In July 2018, Japanese government signed a memorandum of acceptance with Cambodia’s general department of customs and excise (GDCE) under which Japan refurbished and donated two patrol boats. As per the agreement, local commanders will be trained by Japanese authorities to operate the watercraft. The patrol boats enabled GDCE to crack down on illegal smuggling for instance, GDCE was able to capture 1,129 cartons of illegal cigarettes on 25th February 2019.
Military assistance in Cambodia is not limited to donation of hardware as Cambodian Prime Minister requested training for special assignments such as UN military missions at a meeting with General Goro Yuasa, the chief of Japan’s ground self-defence force.
Indonesia
Japanese government and the director general of Asia Pacific ministry of foreign affairs signed a memorandum of exchange in February 2020. As part of the agreement, Japanese authorities donated a refurbished fishery patrol vessel Hakurei Maru along with funds for the equipment as well as maintenance worth $20.2 million on 15 February 2020.
On 25th May 2021, Japan handed over another fishery patrol vessel Shirahagi-maru with the aim of enhancing surveillance capacity of Indonesia as it battles illegal fishing activities. Both the patrol boats will enhance Jakarta’s maritime capabilities and enable it to battle illegal fishing activities. Moreover, the two countries signed a deal as part of which Japan would export defence equipment to Indonesia.
Malaysia
In 2009, Japan had donated 10 speed boats and two years later 4 units of rigid hull inflatable boats were given to the Malaysian maritime enforcement agency with the aim of enhancing sea surveillance capacities. In November 2016 during Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s visit to Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to donate two decommissioned offshore patrol vessels to Malaysia’s maritime enforcement agency. KM Pekan arrived in April 2017 and KM Arau arrived on 7th June 2017. Both the vessels enhanced Kuala Lumpur’s maritime capabilities and have been employed for monitoring of the seas. In 2018, Japanese and Malaysian defence ministers Itsunori Onodera and Mohamad Sabu respectively penned down a memorandum of understanding to increase military communication and collaborate on defence equipment.
Philippines
In June 2015 during Philippine President Benigno Aquino III’s visit to Japan, he signed a deal to buy ten patrol vessels which would be paid through Tokyo’s foreign aid program. In March 2019, Japan donated two high speed boats to the Philippine coast guard, they are to be utilized mainly in Philippine’s south for counter-piracy and counter-terrorism missions according to the coast guard commander Admiral Elson Hermogino.
In February 2020, a deal was inked for providing Philippines with two multipurpose response patrol vessels, they are expected to be delivered in early 2022. Tokyo is also providing Manila with life-saving equipment such as jackhammers, sonars and engine cutters which have been used by the self-defence forces.
Vietnam
In August 2014 during Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Hanoi, Tokyo agreed to provide Vietnam with six refurbished fishing vessels which would be used to patrol the territorial waters. The deal came amidst worsening ties between Hanoi and Beijing as an oil rig was established by China in the disputed waters of South China sea which is claimed by Vietnam.
On 28 July 2020, Japan signed an agreement with Vietnam to provide the southeast Asian nation with six patrol boats to enhance maritime law enforcement capabilities. The new project will not only enhance Hanoi’s rescue operations but also aid in law enforcement. Moreover, in October 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga signed an agreement with the Vietnamese counterpart to export defence equipment and technology.
Japan’s changing role:
Tokyo has been known to profess state pacifism ever since the defeat at the hand of Washington in the second world war. However, Japan under Shinzo Abe has been making incremental changes to its regional security role in Southeast Asia. For instance, the 2013 national security strategy and the 2014 national defence program guidelines, these two documents mark a shift in Japan’s regional security role wherein the ministry of defence (MoD) and the Japanese self-defence force (JSDF) are at the forefront of increasing engagement with countries in the region.
The security assistance in the maritime arena has been commanded by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and executed by the Japanese Coast Guard (JCG), this implies that although the Abe government has tried to augment Tokyo’s role in regional security, but the control remains firmly in civilian hands as JICA and JDG overlooks the programs rather than the MoD and JSDF.
Japan’s changing role in southeast Asia represents an evolved maritime relationship wherein it is enhancing cooperation through donations of patrol boats which could enable Tokyo to foster close ties with ASEAN nation-states. Japan cannot challenge China alone, but it could utilize partnerships to challenge the dragon collectively in the future. Prime Minister Abe has tried to augment Japan’s role in regional security through inclusion of non-combat military purpose programs in the official development assistance program under which it has provided ASEAN states with patrol boats, high speed vessels, multi-purpose response vessels.
However, we need to bear in mind that none of the programs indicate overt militarisation aimed at tackling China or limit its aggressive posturing in the South China sea, but they do suggest that Tokyo desires to play a significant role in regional security.
Final Perspective:
Tokyo has been practicing state pacifism ever since the defeat in the second world war and comes under the American nuclear umbrella. However, if Donald Trump’s reign is anything to go by, then one could say that America would only ally with Japan till the time it fulfils Washington’s national interests. National interests are not fixed, they can and do change with times for example in 1972 United States changed its policy vis-à-vis China by recognising People’s Republic of China.
Post the second world war, Japan did not face any threat in the neighbourhood although nuclear powered north Korea was an issue which had to be treated lightly. The reality is China began opening-up its economy in 1978 and has become the second largest economy in the world. Beijing is more assertive today and is expanding its naval reach through the first overseas base in Djibouti.
China’s aggressive posture in the South China sea would naturally affect Japan, although it has practiced state pacifism, but Shinzo Abe’s government clearly elucidated the desire to play a greater role in regional security through re-interpretation of article 9 of the constitution which limits offensive military capabilities. The donations of patrol boats, vessels are not an indication of overt military alliance build-up, but it does suggest that in the future Tokyo could empower its military to protect strategic interests.
End Notes
1) https://www.nbr.org/publication/japanese-maritime-assistance-a-status-quo-plus/
2) https://www.britannica.com/topic/foreign-aid
3) https://www.globalissues.org/article/785/military-aid
4) https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/nato
5) https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/social-science/government/intl-affairs/foreign-aid/during-the-cold-war
6) https://www.globalissues.org/article/785/military-aid
7) https://www.khmertimeskh.com/507273/japan-donates-anti-smuggling-watercraft/
8) https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50573080/anti-smuggling-watercraft-launched/
9) https://cne.wtf/2019/02/25/japanese-donated-patrol-boats-catch-first-smugglers/
10) https://cambodianess.com/article/hun-sen-asks-japan-for-assistance-with-expert-military-training
11) https://en.antaranews.com/news/141482/japan-hands-over-fishery-patrol-vessel-to-indonesia
12) https://voi.id/en/news/53815/japan-hands-over-fisheries-control-ship-to-indonesia
13) https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/03/57f983dc7f10-japan-to-reach-deal-with-indonesia-on-defense-equipment-exports.html
14) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-malaysia-idUSKBN13B0X4
15) https://thediplomat.com/2017/06/japan-gives-malaysia-coast-guard-a-boost-with-patrol-vessel/
16) https://www.my.emb-japan.go.jp/English/ODA/grant%20aid%20maritime/21032011.htm
17) https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Malaysia-joins-Japan-s-list-of-Indo-Pacific-security-partners
18) https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-to-provide-patrol-vessels-to-philippines-1433424771
19) https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippine-coast-guard-gets-high-speed-boats-japan
20) https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/02/27/1897186/coast-guard-get-new-speed-boats-japan
21) https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/02/mhi-to-build-2-multi-role-response-vessels-for-the-philippine-coast-guard/
22) https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3132302/japan-offers-defence-tools-philippines-amid-chinas-claims
23) http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/141443
24) https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3096865/japan-signs-deal-provide-vietnam-six-patrol-ships-amid-south
25) https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/10/19/japan-to-export-defense-tech-to-vietnam-under-new-agreement/
26) https://www.nbr.org/publication/japanese-maritime-assistance-a-status-quo-plus/
27) https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/07/21/japanese-foreign-aid-whats-in-it-for-japan/
28) https://cescube.com/vp-foreign-bases-in-djibouti-is-there-a-struggle-for-strategic-space
Pic Courtesy- Nicki Eliza Schinow on unsplash.com
(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent views for CESCUBE.)
