TOKYO REPORT: Japan’s FOIP Vision Marks 10 Years, with Eye on Update

Tokyo, Aug. 31 (Jiji Press)–A decade after Japan launched its Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is seeking to update the diplomatic framework to address an increasingly complex regional environment and emerging economic security challenges, including the need for more resilient supply chains. The FOIP vision was proposed by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD VI, in Nairobi, Kenya, in August 2016. Centered on such principles as the rule of law, the concept has since gained broad traction in the international community. But with concerns growing that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is scaling back its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan faces a key test of how to refine FOIP. More Resilient and Prosperous The FOIP vision, which views the Indian and Pacific oceans as a single, integrated strategic space, has evolved into a guiding principle of Japanese diplomacy. It is anchored in the values of freedom, the rule of law and a market-based economy and has been embraced not only by Japan but also by partners such as the United States, Australia, and European countries. In 2019, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations adopted the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, or AOIP, a set of guidelines outlining ASEAN’s approach to the region. Japan and ASEAN reaffirmed the synergy between FOIP and AOIP in a joint statement issued at a summit in October last year, emphasizing their “shared objectives and principles.” In a foreign policy speech delivered in Vietnam in May this year, Takaichi expressed Japan’s determination to “update FOIP.” She identified several priority areas for change, including strengthening supply chains for energy and critical goods, developing artificial intelligence technologies and data infrastructure, and expanding security cooperation. Through these efforts, she said, Japan, ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region can become “more resilient and prosperous together.” Inclusiveness toward China Takaichi’s call for the update reflects a major shift in the security environment around China. Over the past decade, economic security and the stable procurement of critical goods have emerged as key diplomatic challenges, alongside tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. As a result, the security-oriented nature of the FOIP initiative has become more pronounced. “Takaichi’s version of FOIP is characterized by its emphasis on economic security,” said Kei Hakata, a former Japanese Foreign Ministry official and professor at Seikei University. “It’s not anti-China. Rather, it is based on a ‘non-China’ approach–cooperating with countries that share (Japan’s) principles without excluding China,” Hakata said. “If the initiative appears too heavily focused on security, ASEAN and other partners could distance themselves,” he warned. “It’s important to communicate Japan’s position as one that promotes broad cooperation in areas such as the economy and energy security while keeping the door open to China under certain conditions.” A senior Japanese government official agreed. “FOIP and AOIP have elements in common,” the official said. “What matters is that Japan not only upholds these principles but also steadily builds up concrete support measures. Next Decade Regarding the achievements of the FOIP initiative over the past decade, Hakata said, “In addition to gaining traction in various countries and promoting projects aligned with its vision, it is highly significant that Japan has demonstrated its autonomy and leadership to the international community.” FOIP “has also played a role in imposing certain constraints on China’s actions and contributing to the balance of power,” he added. “It has created a trend in world history.” Looking ahead, Hakata recommended that “alongside FOIP, Japan should aim to maintain and strengthen its higher-level principle: the Free and Open International Order, or FOIO.” “It’s vital for Japan to advance cooperation with a wide range of countries, supported by the trust it has earned–one of its assets–and by its achievements to date,” he said. “Even if its national power declines, Japan has ideas and experience enough to compensate for that. It should continue to play a leading role while preserving its reputation as a ‘sincere country.'” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]