By Keita Nakamura,
A commemorative summit to mark the 50th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN friendship and three days of related meetings through Monday in Tokyo show Japan's emphasis on promoting security ties with Southeast Asian nations on a bilateral basis in the wake of China's rise, experts well-versed in the region said.
Given that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have varying security needs and that China has enormous economic clout in the region, Tokyo is right to take an individually tailored approach when pushing defense collaboration with them, the experts say.
They also warn that Japan must avoid trying to force ASEAN members to take sides amid the escalating rivalry between China and Tokyo's close ally the United States, and respect their neutrality.
Japan sees Southeast Asia as a strategically important region due largely to its proximity to the South China Sea, home to some of the world's busiest maritime sea lanes and where the Philippines, Vietnam and others have overlapping territorial claims with China.
Beijing's increasingly provocative behavior in the disputed sea has been seen as a major security threat by some ASEAN states, with the focal point of cooperation between Japan and ASEAN gradually shifting from business to security.
Meanwhile, some countries like Cambodia and Laos, seen as pro-Beijing, are less vigilant against China.
Saya Kiba, associate professor at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, points out the "difference in attitudes" among ASEAN members toward building security relations with Japan.
At the Japan-ASEAN summit on Sunday, the leaders adopted a "joint vision statement" and an implementation plan, agreeing to step up "maritime security cooperation," though stopping short of including detailed plans.
Kiba said the outcome documents "lack a specific and clear message," adding, "Given the diversity in security situations among ASEAN countries, it seems hard for them to go into further details."
Meanwhile, some of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's bilateral talks with ASEAN leaders, held on the fringes of the multilateral summit, appeared fruitful.
At talks on Saturday, Kishida agreed with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to supply military equipment worth 400 million yen ($2.8 million), such as rescue boats and surveillance drones, to Kuala Lumpur, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
The provision utilizes Tokyo's new program for like-minded countries that share fundamental values, dubbed Official Security Assistance, or OSA, with Malaysia becoming the third nation to engage with Japan on the framework after the Philippines and Bangladesh.
With China's growing maritime assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region apparently in mind, Tokyo launched the OSA in April, setting aside 2 billion yen for the current fiscal year through March 2024.
"Japan will step up collaboration with Malaysia and other ASEAN members to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law," Kishida told Anwar.
When meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Kishida promised that Japan will provide a large patrol ship for Indonesia's coast guard.
With Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Kishida affirmed that Japan and Vietnam will further expand interactions among their defense personnel and promote collaboration on future military equipment transfer.
Kishida and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet confirmed the launch of a vice defense minister-level dialogue between the two countries.
Kiba said Japan is expected to continue deepening security ties with ASEAN nations bilaterally.
"Japan should clearly express that it is far more proactive than before in working together with Southeast Asian countries in the security field," and should make cooperation offers to them based on each member's individual needs, she said.
Tomotaka Shoji, director of the Regional Studies Department at the National Institute for Defense Studies in Tokyo, said underscoring basic principles in the multilateral arena is also important for Japan.
The principles include the rule of law and freedom of navigation, he said.
Meanwhile, Shoji said it is important for Japan to move forward relations with the 10-member bloc without calling on any of the nations to "make a choice" between Japan and China, or the United States and China.
China has "multidimensional" relations with ASEAN members, posing a security challenge for some but being an important "economic partner for all of them," he said.
China has been the largest trading partner for ASEAN since 2009, with trade in goods between them topping $700 billion in 2022, far outstripping ASEAN trade with either the United States or Japan, according to data disclosed by the ASEAN secretariat.
Lili Yan Ing, lead adviser for the Southeast Asian region at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia in Jakarta, said each ASEAN country hopes Japan will recognize their "unique economic and security concerns" individually.
They also expect Japan to offer "tailored cooperation" that aligns with their specific needs and development goals, she added.
"Prioritizing flexibility and understanding the diverse needs of each ASEAN member will allow Japan to significantly contribute to the region's stability and resilience," she said.
Related coverage:
Japan PM Kishida vows to take lead in decarbonization in Asia
FOCUS: Kishida's loss of public support may hurt Japan diplomatically
Japan, ASEAN vow to widen cooperation as they mark 50 years of ties
