By Zachary Keck
Acknowledging the Senkaku dispute and appealing to international law would benefit both Japan and ASEAN.
On Friday Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, one of Asia’s most important security conferences. As my colleague Shannon noted, Abe used the speech to bolster his ongoing effort to reestablish Japan’s leadership position in the region, and anchor it in international law.
With the notable exception of South Korea, Abe’s effort to reassert Japanese leadership has been remarkably successful. In his first year and a half in office, Abe has noticeably strengthened Japan’s ties to important countries like Taiwan, Russia and India. Nowhere has Abe been more successful than in Southeast Asia, however. As I noted last year, Japan’s reemergence in Southeast Asia was one of the most important developments of 2013.
Abe himself was integral to this effort. In his first year in office alone, he personally visited all 10 ASEAN states. Abe also strengthened Tokyo’s position in Southeast Asia by joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations despite the strong domestic opposition he faces on this issue, including from factions within his own political party. Many of his controversial efforts to remove Japan’s security restrictions will also improve Tokyo’s ability to play a leadership role in ASEAN. For example, by removing the self-imposed arms export embargo, and embracing collective self-defense, Tokyo will be able to arm and come to the defense of ASEAN nations threatened by China.
Despite these accomplishments, there is still one glaring shortcoming in Japan’s effort to strengthen its position in ASEAN: namely, its position on the Diaoyu/Senkaku Island dispute with China. Dropping its currently policy and embracing international law would significantly benefit both Japan and Southeast Asia.
Read the full story at The Diplomat