Ishiba’s Diplomatic Debut

After dissolving the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made a trip to Laos to participate in international conferences of ASEAN and East Asia Summit. In the backdrop of the conferences, Ishiba had meetings with some foreign leaders, making a moderate debut in his diplomacy as a new prime minister of Japan. Basic stance was succeeding diplomacy of his predecessor Fumio Kishida to maintain relationship with likeminded countries, as keeping channel with a major power in Asia, the People’s Republic of China.

In the bilateral meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, Ishiba reconfirmed sharing Mutual Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests, established between Shinzo Abe and Hu Jintao in 2006. Ishiba expressed his hope to work together so that the people could benefit from development of relationship of both governments.

 

Those two countries have multiple issues which does not promote improvement of their relationship. A Chinese military aircraft intruded into Japan’s territorial airspace in Nagasaki prefecture in August. Ishiba called Li for a full explanation and expressed his concern on situation in East China Sea, including installation of buoy in the open sea around Okinotori-shima island.

 

Ishiba also demanded Li early restoration of imports of Japan’s sea products, regarding discharge of processed water from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Raising deep concern on the deaths of Japanese School students in Suzhou and Shenzhen in China, Ishiba urged Li to clarify the facts and provide explanations to ensure safety and security of Japanese in China.

 

Li expressed his hope that Japan would meet China halfway, keep the bilateral relations on right track, maintain political foundation of bilateral ties, and strengthen dialogue and cooperation. Two leaders did not talk about Ishiba’s personal commitment to establish Asian NATO, trying instead to focus on economicn and technological development and cooperation between two nations.

 

In the meeting with the President of Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, Ishiba agreed with Yoon to continue shuttle diplomacy between two leaders, which was resumed between Kishida and Yoon. Although two leaders did not touch on historical issues, they exchanged their views on North Korea and its military cooperation with Russia, as well as further strengthening of relations toward 60th anniversary of normalization of both countries.

 

In the meeting of ASEAN Plus Three (Japan- China-ROK), Ishiba referred to Japan’s fundamental standpoint that any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion would be unacceptable, which indicated concern on China’s advance in South ana East China Sea. It is unclear how China responded to the idea of Japan’s side.

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