Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's diplomatic initiatives were launched with his tour of three Southeast Asian countries of Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia last month during which he disclosed his basic foreign policy principles in the form of the "Abe vision." Its tenet is binding countries that share the three basic principles of democracy, market economy and rule of law.
Abe, who took over the reins of government only last December, has made it clear that he will personally lead the diplomacy — a major departure from the past tradition of letting the foreign and defense ministries take the lead in matters related to diplomacy and security.
The principal figure playing a major behind-the-scenes role in this shift is Shotaro Yachi, a former administrative vice foreign minister who now has the title of counselor at the Cabinet secretariat. Yachi exerts such a strong influence in diplomatic matters that some government officials have called him the "shadow foreign minister."