Kishida uses India trip to push ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ vision

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced a plan to further promote Japan’s vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP) as Tokyo looks to expand support for emerging economies in line with an approach focused on bolstering a rules-based international order.

“From (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and the Pacific island countries to the Middle East, Africa and Central and South America, we will further expand the circle of countries that share the vision of FOIP and promote initiatives in the spirit of co-creation,” Kishida said in a speech Monday at a New Delhi think tank, following a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the talks, the two leaders agreed to work together toward the success of the Group of Seven and Group of 20 summits that Japan and India are set to host, respectively, later this year.

“One of the important pillars of our G20 leadership is to give voice to the priorities of the Global South,” Modi was quoted as saying during a joint news conference, referring to developing nations in areas such as Asia, Africa and Latin America.

“The India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership is based on our mutual democratic values and respect of the rule of law at the international platform,” Modi added.

Kishida has invited his Indian counterpart to the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May, as he is seeking New Delhi’s assistance in forging a stronger coalition against Russia over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

India, which relies heavily on Russia for military and energy supplies, has been walking a diplomatic tightrope over Ukraine, trying to balance its ties with Moscow and the West.

At the same time, Tokyo views the South Asian country — which is a member of “the Quad” security grouping also incorporating the U.S., Japan and Australia — as an essential partner for promoting its FOIP vision, particularly as India has emerged as a leading voice for developing nations.

After meeting the Indian leader, Kishida noted in his speech that the international community is at a “historical turning point” amid changes in the balance of power and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Our FOIP is becoming more important than ever in the pursuit of the goal of leading the international community toward cooperation rather than division and confrontation,” the prime minister said, emphasizing the importance of “rule-making through dialogue.”

“Even at this turning point, the basic concept of FOIP remains unchanged. It is a simple matter of increasing the connectivity of the Indo-Pacific region and nurturing and enriching it as a place that values freedom and the rule of law, free from coercion,” Kishida added.

Although China was not mentioned in the speech, many argue that the FOIP strategy is also aimed at countering Beijing’s attempts to expand its influence among developing nations.

Kishida divided his approach to achieving FOIP into four main pillars.

The first is aimed at promoting the minimum basic principles among the international community, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and opposition to unilateral changes of the status quo by force, as stipulated in the U.N. Charter.

“I think what is characteristic of the current turning point is the lack of a universally accepted way of thinking about how the international order should be. A clear indication of this is the wide variation in the attitudes of various countries toward Russia's aggression against Ukraine,” he said.

The second pillar calls for “realistic and practical cooperation” on Indo-Pacific issues in a wide range of fields, including climate change, food security, health, cybersecurity and sustainability.

The third element seeks to increase connectivity within countries to overcome vulnerabilities and achieve mutually beneficial economic growth.

Kishida said that in line with this, Tokyo will make a new contribution of $100 million to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund and will revamp the Japan-ASEAN Connectivity Initiative, which supports transport and logistics projects as well as person-to-person exchanges.

In South Asia, Japan will seek to promote the growth of the region as a whole and bolster economic security, including by developing the industrial capabilities of the Bay of Bengal and northeastern India.

Tokyo will also seek to strengthen the sharing of knowledge by developing human resources that can drive innovations and support regional vitality.

To achieve this, Tokyo aims to ramp up various exchange programs such as JENESYS and the Asian High School Students Bridge Project. It also plans to support the overseas expansion of Japanese universities, as well as intensive care unit services provided by Japanese experts in developing countries.

The fourth and final pillar focuses on the expansion of security initiatives from the traditional maritime realm to the aerial domain. This includes relocating warning and control radars, deepening cooperation between aviation authorities on new technologies, including drones, as well as boosting human resource development and exchanges, including on the use of satellites.

Measures against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and cooperation with the militaries of like-minded countries will also be promoted.

Meanwhile, Kishida said Tokyo will continue enhancing the maritime law enforcement capabilities of several countries, including Pacific island nations, and promote joint military exercises with both Pacific and Southeast Asian countries.

This comes after the prime minister announced last June a $2 billion maritime security assistance plan for Indo-Pacific countries, including patrol boats and maritime transport infrastructure as well as investment in necessary human resources, such as training and education.

At the time, Kishida said Japan would also continue sharing technical knowledge and experience as part of cooperation initiatives with at least 20 countries in the region.

To help realize these objectives, Tokyo plans to ramp up diplomatic efforts, such as promoting and expanding the strategic use of official development assistance.

“We will revise the Development Cooperation Charter and set out guidelines for Japan's ODA over the next 10 years,” Kishida said.

By doing so, he stated, Tokyo will strengthen cooperation between the organizations that handle ODA and other public funds.

The prime minister said a bill related to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation that would promote the mobilization of private-sector funds is currently under deliberation in parliament, and he indicated that Japan will also launch a new grant aid framework to attract investment.

In terms of infrastructure, Japan will direct more than $75 billion in public and private funds to the Indo-Pacific region through private investment and yen loans by 2030, he said.