Takaichi’s New FOIP Makes No Major Difference

As a routine diplomacy for the prime minister of Japan in the Golden Week, when the Diet enters short recess, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Hanoi, Vietnam, to have a summit meeting with Vietnamese President, To Lam, on May 2nd. Vietnam maintains economic relationship with China, while it keeps security cooperation with the Unites States or Japan. Takaichi insisted that she would promote a concept of Free and Open Indo-Pacific which her political mentor, former prime minister Shinzo Abe, had once upheld as Japan’s diplomatic concept toward Asia. 

In the meeting with Lam, Takaichi focused on economic security, which she had been grappling with for years. In 2023, Japan and Vietnam upgraded their diplomatic relations to “comprehensive strategic partnership,” commemorating 50thanniversary since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1973. The partnership means the highest level of diplomatic relations for Vietnam. Both leaders shared their intention to make the region stronger and more prosperous.

 

They reaffirmed cooperation in energy, critical minerals, AI, semiconductors and space, based on a concept for Asian region called POWERR Asia, or Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia. Takaichi offered support for procurement of crude oil to Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex. Two leaders also agreed on further reinforcement of supply chain for rare earth in Vietnam. Those outcomes reflect Takaichi’s interest in economic relationship with Vietnam.

 

Takaichi also gave a foreign policy speech at Vietnam National University in Hanoi. In her speech, Takaichi tried to impress herself as a successor of politics conducted by Abe. “In 2013, then prime minister Abe chose Vietnam as the destination for his first overseas visit after taking office,” said Takaichi, reminding the audience of Japan’s interest in relationship with Vietnam.

 

Then she referred to FOIP initiated by Abe in 2016, which would build democratic and rule-based order in Asia-Pacific region, distinguishing Japan from authoritative and sometimes coercive approach to the region by China. She raised three points for advanced FOIP: economic infrastructure in the age of AI, co-creation of economic growth opportunities and security for regional peace and security.

 

Although Takaichi calls this concept “New FOIP.,” it is hard to find any new policy for security cooperation with Vietnam. In her speech, she insisted on Japan’s effort to support for military buildup in countries in Southeast Asia through overseas security assistance (OSA) established in 2023, which has been drawing concern from China. “When the Japanese side chants ‘a free and open region,’ it is actually seeking to divide the region to create more confrontation and exclusive circles,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, in his press conference on April 29th.

 

Deteriorated Japan-China relationship, exacerbated by Takaichi’s comment on Taiwan contingency last November, may have a negative impact for Southeast Asian countries to have close relationship with Japan.

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