China’s rise to power has not gone unnoticed. Perhaps no one is more aware of its growing influence than one of its nearest neighbors—Japan. In 2016, Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, announced his vision for that part of the world—a trade network among Pacific and Indian Oceans nations called the Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative. It is seen as a direct alternative to China’s Belt & Road initiative and even solicits some of the same countries China is trying to pull into its orbit.
The Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative is based in free-trade, freedom of navigation, a market economy, and rule-of-law (something China is often at odds with). It offers infrastructure development without the crushing debt some countries have found themselves with after signing onto the BRI. Nations across the region have signed on, including Papua New Guinea and Kenya, which have received Japanese aid; and India, which received a bullet train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.
Japan is extending itself in other ways not seen in generations. Japan has strengthened its ties to New Zealand and Australia. After the US abandoned the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership, Japan picked-up the pieces and finalized the deal with eleven nations, including Canada. Furthermore, Japanese warship can now be found cruising shipping lanes in the South China Sea. It has even conducted live-fire exercises, and its ships can be seen in various ports around southeast Asia. This is all a direct challenge to China, which claims sovereignty over the South China Sea.
As the Trump administration pursues isolationist strategies, Japan has been forced to emerge from its old shell, adapting to the new situation. Japan had largely been hamstrung by its image and affairs from World War II; now it is shedding that old image to confront the challenges of the 21st century.
Reference:
Simon Denyer, “Japan counters China’s rise with trade plan, military drills,” Washington Post, 21 Oct 2019, A18; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/japan-builds-an-island-wall-to-counter-chinas-intensifying-military-territorial-incursions/2019/08/20/802bc282-ae11-11e9-9411-a608f9d0c2d3_story.html