Japan’s new Prime Minister Kan Yoshihide said during a visit to Indonesia on Wednesday (Oct. 21) that he opposes any action that would exacerbate tensions in the East and South China Seas, and denied that Japan is considering building an “Indo-Pacific version of NATO” to contain any particular country.
In a press conference Wednesday in Jakarta, Indonesia, before concluding a four-day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia, Kan said Japan has long emphasized the need to resolve disputes in the South China Sea in a peaceful manner and opposes any action that would increase tensions in the South China Sea.
In a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Japan said it has always stressed the need to resolve disputes in the South China Sea in a peaceful manner and opposes any action that would increase tensions in the South China Sea.
In the Indo-Pacific region, which connects Japan and ASEAN by sea, Japan believes that peace and prosperity in the region can be achieved only through the full implementation of free and open multilateral cooperation,” Kan said at the press conference.
He went on to say, “But in the South China Sea, people are taking the opposite action. Japan is paying close attention to this, and Japan is opposed to any action that could increase tensions in the South China Sea.”
Kan emphasized that the parties concerned should resolve the South China Sea dispute issue in a peaceful manner, rather than resorting to force and threats. He said, “Let me re-emphasize the importance of the South China Sea issue, which does not require force or coercion, but rather the peaceful resolution of disputes based on international law.”
Kan pledged to strengthen multilateral defense ties with Southeast Asian countries and said he would further assist in strengthening the maritime policing capabilities of countries in the region, including training activities organized by the Japan Coast Guard and equipment transfers.
Japan has long viewed China’s increasing military activity as a security threat, and Japanese defense documents have accused China of unilateral actions that have changed the status quo in the South China Sea. Japan is deeply concerned about China’s claims to the Senkaku Islands (known in China as the Diaoyu Islands) in the East China Sea.
In response, Kan stated that Japan is determined to defend its territory, territorial waters, and airspace.
Kan’s visit to Vietnam and Indonesia follows this month’s Quartet Security Dialogue (QSD) in Tokyo, which includes the United States, Australia, India, and Japan. China has condemned the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue mechanism, calling it an “Indo-Pacific version of NATO.
Last month, Kan succeeded Shinzo Abe as Japan’s Prime Minister, and Vietnam and Indonesia became destinations for his first overseas trip, demonstrating the importance of the region to Japan.
In a meeting with Kan, Indonesian President Joko Widodo agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including a 50 billion yen low-interest loan from Japan to Indonesia, a memorandum of cooperation in the health sector, and a necessary commercial travel corridor between the two countries. The two sides will hold a new round of ministerial meetings and accelerate ongoing negotiations on defense equipment and technology transfer.
Kan visited Vietnam on Monday and met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, where the two countries agreed to strengthen bilateral security and economic ties, including Japan’s agreement in principle to export military equipment and technology to Vietnam.
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