“Commitment by presence”

This chapter explores the expanding scope of Japanese naval diplomacy. It articulates how naval diplomacy is playing a significant role in the Japanese strategy of "commitment by presence". The chapter introduces how Japanese strategy is designed to enhance political and security relationships in Southeast Asia, notably with Australia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. It provides a framework of understanding for naval diplomacy before exploring its role in Japanese maritime strategy. Japanese maritime strategy had to strive to accommodate the requirements of security missions in distant waters with those deriving from security issues in home theaters. Such issues included the challenge of increasing Chinese naval activities in the East and South China Seas and, to a lesser extent, North Korean adventurism in the same area and in the Sea of Japan. The chapter examines some examples of the ways in which Japanese naval diplomacy evolved in Southeast Asia.