CENTRE ON ASEAN: It should be mutually beneficial
JAPAN is back! That was the
message Shinzo Abe was supposed to underscore when he chose Southeast Asia as
his first official overseas foray on his second appointment as Japanese
premier.
When Abe was premier in 2006,
Beijing was the first foreign capital he called on. China was the pragmatic and
logical choice as Abe sought to normalise ties between the two Asian giants
following the testy years of the Koizumi Administration (2001-2006).
Six years later, China, and not
Southeast Asia in spite of the official rhetoric, remains an important
centrepiece for Japanese diplomacy but for different reasons.
The Kyodo News Agency all but
laid out the implicit mission for Abe's Southeast Asian tour: "Abe cements
ties with Southeast Asia to counter China."
In his first administration, Abe
sought to rebuild bridges with China and when he officially took office last
December, the mood was decidedly more pessimistic and grave. With the riots and
attacks against Japanese business interests in China and the tense situation
surrounding the Senkaku/Diaoyu issue, Abe finds himself facing down an
implacable and petulant China.
The preoccupation with China,
unfortunately, detracts from the major story of the Southeast Asian visit,
which was the "announcement" of the Abe Doctrine. In a speech which
was scheduled to be delivered in Jakarta but was cancelled as Abe cut short his
Indonesian visit to return to Tokyo in the wake of the Algerian hostage crisis,
Abe outlined five principles for Japan's engagement with the region:
- The protection of freedom of
thought, expression, and speech;
- Ensuring that the seas are
governed by laws and rules, not might;
- The pursuit of free, open and
interconnected economies;
- The promotion of intercultural
ties among the peoples of Japan and the region; and
- The promotion of exchanges
among the younger generation.
Japanese diplomacy is not known
for high-profile policy speeches, and the last major Asian policy speech dates
back to 1977 when Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda enunciated the famous Fukuda
Doctrine, which pledged that Japan shall not become a military power, and would
undertake "heart-to-heart relations with Asean and cooperate with Asean on
managing and resolving issues pertaining to Indo-China.
The newly christened Abe Doctrine
reintroduces a "values-based" approach Abe started in his first term
of office. While Japan has always emphasised liberal and democratic norms and
values, and the rule of law, its record of actively promoting them is sketchy
at best.
Traditionally, Japan has been
adept and more comfortable with seikei bunri, a prescription which calls for
the separation of politics and economics. Will Japan now walk the talk in
putting its substantive economic weight behind efforts to promote openness,
liberty and good governance?
The Asashi Shimbun is sceptical
and pointed out the irony of Vietnam as Abe's first stop in his three-country
tour.
In contrast to the Fukuda
Doctrine which had the effect of putting Japan's relations with Southeast Asia
on a productive and mutually beneficial foundation, Abe's five principles,
especially the first, may not be well-received and could also damage Japanese
diplomacy.
In prioritising the promotion of
liberal and democratic norms in its relations with Southeast Asia, Japan would
inadvertently have to distinguish countries that are "progressive"
and those that are less so. How would highlighting, for example, Thailand's
forceful management of demonstrators be received in Bangkok?
Abe would do well to remember
that Japan is one of the most trusted major powers in the region because it had
heretofore respected and understood that the 10 Asean nations have different
political trajectories and paths. While working with Asean to build a strong
and stable socio-economic foundation, Japan had steered away from any
missionary zeal of imposing values on the region.
The best way for Japan to assist
Asean in liberal norm creation and consolidation is to do it in a quiet,
gradual and collaborative manner.
If the intent of the Abe Doctrine
was to rally the Asean states to face up to an increasingly assertive China,
Tokyo is setting itself up to be disappointed. To be sure, Asean is unsettled and
concerned with China's erratic -- and often provocative -- behaviour in the
last few years.
As Asean is trying to work out
its issues with China, Asean would want to shy away from implicit balancing
overtures from Japan or other major powers.
In supporting the call for
rule-based management of the global commons which includes the maritime domain,
Asean should be alert to attempts to link the South China Sea (SCS) disputes
with the situation in the East China Sea (ECS).
The dynamics of the SCS and ECS are
different, and as much as Asean values its friendship and deep partnership with
Japan, the former should stay above the long-standing strained and often
acrimonious Sino-Japanese relations.
The Abe Doctrine is different
from the Fukuda Doctrine in two significant measures. Firstly, the Fukuda
Doctrine was a pronouncement to communicate with Asean on Asean-Japan
relations, but the Abe Doctrine appears to be an opportunity to talk to Asean
about China.
Secondly, the Fukuda Doctrine
sets the tone for mutually beneficial relations between Asean and Japan, while
the Abe Doctrine leans towards serving Japan's geo-strategic interests.
If there were a response to the
Abe Doctrine, it would be to call upon our friends in Tokyo to set its Asian
policy centred on Asean and not use the Asean-Japan bilateral relations as a
means to "other ends."
Dr Tang Siew Mun
Business & Investment Opportunities
Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC) is incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Health care and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN 's area. We are currently changing the platform of www.yourvietnamexpert.com, if any request, please, contact directly Dr Christian SIODMAK, business strategist, owner and CEO of SBC at christian.siodmak@gmail.com. Many thanks.
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