A summit hosted by Japan commemorating their 50th anniversary in formal diplomatic relations between The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Japan, in which the overview of the summit was to strengthen regional security, and another was promoting closer economic cooperation.
Now into more than half a century, Japan and ASEAN have planted the seed of their relationship through economic cooperation in trade. Economic growth, development and mutual trust with Japan once being ASEAN nations largest trading partner there is little doubt that it played a leading role facilitating economic expansion. The relationship, based on mutual prosperity is durable in the face of rising and falling global economic trends.
At the 50th commemorative summit in Tokyo that happened on the 16th to the 18th of December, leaders of Japan-ASEAN relations agreed that there is an urgent need to make security cooperation more robust. Although their joint statement carefully avoided direct references, the intonation of it implied China’s threats to maritime security. The territorial disputes in the East China Sea and South China Sea have heightened security concerns, leading Japan to reappraise long-held views on historical foundations of its alliance with ASEAN.
But the summit declaration did not directly attack China, reflecting ASEAN’s reluctance to overtly provoke one of its biggest trade partners. However, clear-cut qualms about the South China Sea disputes were expressed. Japan is also increasing economic links with ASEAN, including pandemic recovery assistance and investments in the automotive supply chain.
With divisions deepening globally, Japan-ASEAN relations will be key to maintaining stability. On the surface, overt anti-China containment will be avoided. Implicitly though, their aligning on a rules-based regional order is clear to see. From maritime security through quality infrastructure and supply chain resilience to meeting the challenges of ASEAN’s increasingly chaotic strategic environment, Japan-ASEAN relations are now entering a new era of multi-dimensional cooperation.
In fact, perhaps ASEAN’s views on the China threat do not coincide entirely with Japan ‘s. The majority of the ASEAN nations are in favour of diplomatic solutions, they believe that hopes for a binding code on conduct can still be reached through negotiations with Beijing over the South China Sea. A constrained Japan by constitutional limitations and alliances with the United States, it faces obstacles in further opening its security ties to members of ASEAN. Top focus areas are establishing new strategic partnerships against Chinese moves, launching robust economic cooperation including assistance for pandemic recovery and relocating various supply chains, defending the rules-based regional order without provoking China directly.
However, there is also fertile ground for co-operation in spite of these difficulties. Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy meets ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific in terms of common prosperity through adherence to international laws. Under the Official Security Assistance (OSA) cooperation framework introduced by Japan, which provides virtuoso handouts of support for relations between Japan and ASEAN that have been around a long time.
Facing limitations in immediate security cooperation, the traditional channel of strengthening relations appears as a light at the end of this tunnel. The economic links forged in history remain of fundamental importance. China may have become Japan’s more important trade partner, but the five decades of trust built up since their leaders first met are a reservoir from which both Japan and ASEAN can draw strength.
In conclusion, at the meeting of economic interdependence and security challenges lies Japan and ASEAN’s future. Although there are limits to security cooperation, the economic partnership that is everlasting forms a foundation of stability. With the geopolitical tides turning suddenly, Japan and ASEAN must join forces using their rich 50-year history together to build an appropriately responsive relationship that accommodates bilateral differences in thinking about this increasingly complex Indo-Pacific region. Their mutual aspiration to joint prosperity remains hopeful by which they seek a new era in economic resilience starting from strategic security considerations.
By The European Institute for International Law and International Relations
References
The Jakarta Post. (2023, December 22). Securing ASEAN-Japan security ties. https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2023/12/22/securing-asean-japan-security-ties.html
Yamaguchi, M. (2023, December 17). Japan and ASEAN bolster ties at a summit focused on security and economy amid tensions with China. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/japan-asean-summit-maritime-security-china-8ff28376dc10f9a5f95b93c4c7c7c7dc
