Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promised to forge stronger ties with Southeast Asian countries, but fulfilling that pledge will require careful political maneuvering as he seeks to end the pacifist policy that has guided Japan since the war and tries to set up a greater security role for it as China continues to assert itself.
Having made the pledge at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the regional security forum that concluded Sunday, experts say Abe may need to strike a delicate balance to become a truly proactive contributor to peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
Stronger ties between Japan and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations could benefit the region and position Japan to help counterbalance China, but they are unlikely to be welcomed by the Asian powerhouse, whose relations with Japan remain at their lowest point in years.