ABSTRACT
Japan is one of the major countries that have diffused the Indo-Pacific concept, and the Indo-Pacific strategy has assumed a key position in Japanese diplomacy particularly after Abe Shinzo presented the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy in 2016. This chapter explores Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy from multifaced standpoints. It elucidates Japan’s special status regarding the Indo-Pacific such as the original advocacy of the FOIP and the quadrilateral security dialogue (the Quad). Moreover, it presents three pillars of Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy: the promotion and establishment of rule of law and freedom of navigation; pursuit of economic prosperity through connectivity strength; and capacity-building assistance to coastal countries. The chapter argues that Japan, through its Indo-pacific strategy, pursues diplomatic objectives to counter China’s growing geopolitical and geoeconomic presence in the Indo-Pacific region. In particular, Japan has presented and developed the FOIP as international public goods to maintain a rules-based international order. This chapter also explores the diplomatic implications of Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy in regional and global landscapes, underscoring the need to develop the strategy with due consideration to Asian neighbours particularly the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and gain interests in and support for its Indo-Pacific idea from European nations.
