Tokyo’s China stance ‘understood’ by Asean

Japan labelled China its “greatest strategic challenge” in a recent defence white paper, and though analysts say Tokyo’s hardening position is “clearly a concern for Southeast Asia” they note that “behind closed doors” regional elites likely understand the approach. “The region knows that Japan’s strategic posture toward China is getting firmer than before, and this is clearly a concern for Southeast Asia,” said Kei Koga, an associate professor of public policy and global affairs at NTU Singapore. Koga said Japan had been closely communicating with member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on its defence and security posture and was looking to mitigate any confrontation through multilateral engagement. He said this approach has spanned discussions at the Asean Regional Forum and other Asean-led gatherings that included China, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia and the United States as dialogue partners. 

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