POLICY & DIPLOMACYPM KISHIDA’S VISION FOR

BUILDING A
NEW INTERNATIONAL
ORDER FROM ASIA
AN EXCERPT

MAY 26, 2022
Full Text: https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202205/_00014.html

On May 26, Prime Minister Kishida delivered a speech at a banquet for the 27th International Conference“Future of Asia” held in Tokyo. In the presence of national, political, economic, and academic leadersfrom the Asia-Pacific region, he advocated the need for a “new international order originating from Asia,”
the center of the world economy.
Today, I would like to explain my views on how Japan
should approach this turbulent world and my thoughts on
the future of Asia.
I regard the current international situation as having
three layers. The first layer is diplomatic and security issues
about which decisions and actions are made on a countryby-country basis. The second layer is trade and investment
and the rules governing digital transactions, in which
companies operating across borders play a major role. The
third layer is the challenge of solving global issues such as
infectious diseases and climate change, which are global
in scale and common to all humankind. We will respondPrime Minister Kishidadelivering a speech at the 27thInternational Conference“Future of Asia.” He expressed
his hope to make Asia, which
accounts for around 35% of theworld economy, a region thatbrings peace and sustainable
prosperity to the world.

to these three overlapping layers by clarifying priorities
among them.
Our highest priority is the first layer. We will respondfirmly to risks that run contrary to the foundations of theinternational order and universal values such as freedom
and human rights. It is based on these priorities that weare strengthening our unity with the G7, bracing ourselves
for the long-term costs of sanctions.
This issue is not a question of, “Do we side with theUnited States or with China?” but rather, “Do we protect
universal values and the peaceful world order, or losethem?”

For the second layer, we need to take an assortmentof webs of rules, such as the rules of the Comprehensive
and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP), Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP), bilateral Free Trade Agreements(FTAs), and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC), and accumulate them, overlaying one right atopof the other, and then another and yet another.
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity,or “IPEF,” newly established this week, is one of those.
The IPEF reaffirms the economic engagement of the US
with the Indo-Pacific region even after its withdrawal
from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The IPEF isan ambitious initiative that aims to address 21st century
issues, making use of a combination of rule-making,human resource cooperation, and infrastructure support.
To ensure that the IPEF becomes an inclusive andsustainable growth platform in the region, Japan will
make its greatest possible contribution. Meanwhile, wewill continue to persistently push for the return of theU.S. to the TPP.
The TPP, which would be accompanied by access to thehuge market of the U.S., and the RCEP, paving the way topossible access to the enormous market of China, shouldcoexist strategically.
For the third layer—the challenge of solving global
issues—I believe that the creation of a cooperative
system to address the common challenges of humanity
will have the effect of mitigating any confrontation
or “decoupling” that might arise at the first layer, thelayer of security issues.
Based on these basic ideas, how should we envision thefuture of Asia? I will address this point next.
We now need a new international order originatingfrom Asia. This is because Asia now accounts foraround 35% of the world economy and is the fastest
growing region in the world. Our actions in Asia willchange the world.
The “future of Asia” is no longer just for Asia. I want tomake this region a region that brings peace and sustainable
prosperity to the world.
To this end, my vision is that the Indo-Pacific in thepost-Cold War and post-COVID-19 period should
be a free and open region, a sustainable and vigorously
growing region, and a region that contributes to solving
global problems.

When I think about the future of Asia, what I focus on
the most is the relationship between Japan and ASEAN.
Next year, ASEAN and Japan will celebrate the 50th
anniversary of our friendship and cooperation. We will
work together with the members of ASEAN to set out
a new direction for the relationship and a new vision forcooperation.
I will explain my vision for the region in detail. Firstand foremost, it is a free and open region.
“Ukraine might be the East Asia of tomorrow.”
In order to safeguard the peaceful world order and toachieve sustainable prosperity in the region, “no violationof sovereignty or territorial integrity, nor unilateral changeof the status quo by force, shall be tolerated in any region.”
This fundamental principle must be observed.
That is why I believe that in this region we should
build a free and open order based on the rule of law,
not on might.
The second part of my vision is that this is a sustainable
and vigorously growing region.
I am advocating an economic policy of a “newform of capitalism.” The “new form of capitalism” isan effort to upgrade capitalism to meet the challenge
from authoritarian regimes while addressing economicexternalities.
The key is to view social issues not as obstacles, but
to transform them into engines of growth. By attracting
public and private investment to areas identified as
challenges, we will solve social issues and grow robustly.
I would like to share this way of thinking withthe people of Asia as we work together to overcome
challenges and evolve Asia into a sustainable andvigorously growing region.
The third part of my vision for the region is being aregion that contributes to solving global problems.
I believe that in the next generation, Asia, as themain engine of global economic growth and a hub ofinnovation, should actively contribute to solving theworld’s problems.
Under this vision, Japan will work on four specificactions.
The first is the establishment of a free and openinternational order. Japan will continue to hold highthe banner of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” in close
cooperation with allies and like-minded countries
that respect international law and the principles of thePOLICY & DIPLOMACY

international community and share universal values.
In realizing a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” Japanwelcomes the active engagement of the United States inthe Indo-Pacific. We are encouraged by President Biden’scommitment to the region reiterated at the recent JapanUS Summit and other occasions.
The Quad, comprising Japan, Australia, India, and theUnited States, is also important in promoting a free andopen Indo-Pacific. Two days ago, we committed ourselvesto advancing practical cooperation in a wide range ofareas, including addressing COVID-19, infrastructure,and space, to bring benefits to the Indo-Pacific.
Our second goal is cooperation to protect the peacefulworld order in the region.
During my recent visit to Southeast Asia, we madeprogress in concrete efforts, including the signing of adefense equipment and technology transfer agreementwith Thailand and a decision to study the feasibility ofproviding patrol vessels to Indonesia. We will continue tobuild upon such practical cooperation.
We will broaden our scope to include promoting
economic security, addressing cyber security, economic
coercion and disinformation, and other recent issues
facing the region, giving breadth and depth to ourcooperation with other countries.
In addition, we will promote cooperation in areas
where Japan has strengths, such as maritime security
and disaster response. We will also take advantage of the
new initiative on maritime domain awareness and thepartnership in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,
which was confirmed at the Quad summit meeting.
Third is the revitalization of cross-border movementof people.

On May 23, 13 countries launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework(IPEF). President Biden of the United States, who hosted a summit-levelmeeting on its launch (photo), stated that the purpose of the framework isto work together to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth andto address regional challenges.

The free and active exchange among people is afoundation of our economy and society, as well as thefoundation of Asian development.
From now on we will further relax our border measures.
Specifically, effective June 1, the total number of daily
arrivals will be increased to 20,000, and countries witha record of low positive rates at the time of entry willbe allowed to enter Japan without border testing for
COVID-19.
Furthermore, following the ongoing demonstration
project and the establishment of guidelines, we will
resume accepting tourists on escorted package tours
beginning June 10. At the same time, preparations will
be made to resume international flights at New Chitose
Airport and Naha Airport by the end of June.
In addition, with regard to countries and regions whereinfections have settled down, we have today lowered thelevel of Travel Advice and Warning on Infectious Diseases
for Japanese citizens.
Fourth, we are strengthening relationships to overcomesocial challenges together.
Specifically, we will strengthen our relationship with
Asia in the five pillars of (1) investment in innovation andstart-ups, (2) strengthening supply chains, (3) investment
in infrastructure to connect Asia, (4) realization ofuniversal health coverage, and (5) the Asia Zero Emissions
Community.
The first pillar is investment in innovation and startups.
I am particularly interested in initiatives by startups forcross-border collaborations.
Today, an increasing number of entrepreneurs withstrong aspirations to solve social issues are beginningto emerge in Japan and ASEAN, boldly working
to balance business and the resolution of social issues on
the global stage.
We are working on a program that aims to create morethan 100 collaborations between Japanese and ASEAN
companies every year.
The second pillar is supply chain resilience. Japan andASEAN have long been building multilayered supplychains. It is important that the public and private sectors
continue to invest in maintaining and strengthening
these supply chains.
We will also digitally connect the entire supply chain sothat the goods and services we provide are stably supplied
and it can be shown that they are reliable.

Japan will support at least 100 supply chain resilience
projects over the next five years, and will develop theinfrastructure for supply chain resilience based on new
ideas, such as setting common rules to promote crossborder data sharing and collaboration.
Third is investment in infrastructure.
In order to improve regional connectivity and achieve
integrated regional growth, we will continue to strengthen
investment in quality infrastructure through ODA
and other means. In addition, we will make concrete
contributions to the development of soft infrastructure,including investments in people, institutional
harmonization, and intellectual property cooperation.
We will work in cooperation with the wider
international community, including the G7, the G20, andthe Quad, and work to build the capacity of borrowers
to ensure there is no unfair interference in the policy
decisions of borrowing countries or that borrowing
countries do not become increasingly destabilized asa result of development finance that fails to adhere
to international rules and standards, such as unfair or
opaque lending practices.
Fourth is the realization of universal health coverage, orUHC. Japan has been leading the way in realizing UHC,
even ahead of the COVID-19 situation.
This month, it was decided to establish a secretariat
for the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies
and Emerging Diseases in Thailand. Japan has pledged
its full support for its establishment, contributing
US$50 million.
We will continue to actively contribute to the realizationof UHC in Asia under the “Global Health Strategy” thatJapan newly announced two days ago.
Fifth is the realization of an “Asia Zero Emissions
Community.”
Like our country, many other Asian countries have set
the goal of achieving carbon neutrality and are actively
taking on this common challenge for humanity.
The important thing is to decarbonize in a way
suitable for the realities of each country, while achieving
sustainable economic growth. Of course, the stable supplyof energy is a prerequisite.
Energy conditions vary from country to country.
In comparison to Europe and Africa, Asia has low
potential for renewable energy. In addition, it is estimatedthat the demand for electricity will increase by 2.5 times

Prime Minister Kishida visiting King Mongkut’s University of Technology
Thonburi “kosen” in Bangkok, Thailand. He said in his speech that he wasextremely impressed by two Thai students who explained their experiments
to him in Japanese with technical terms.

over the next 30 years due to growth in the populationand the economy.
The “Asia Zero Emissions Community Initiative” is aframework designed to help Asia decarbonize together
while continuing to promote the introduction ofrenewable energy and energy conservation, while facing
the reality of the situation in Asia. It will aim for the joint
decarbonization of Asia through (1) promoting the joint
demonstration of biomass, hydrogen, ammonia, CCUS,
and other technologies for zero emissions in thermal
power generation, (2) establish rules for an Asian versionof transition finance, (3) establish standards for zeroemission technologies, and (4) utilize emission rights
trading in Asia at large.
In Asia, Japanese companies have already started
initiatives such as a demonstration of the construction ofa supply chain for hydrogen supply in Singapore, studies
on the realization of ammonia co-firing and mono-firingin Indonesia, and the transfer of knowledge and knowhow on decarbonization from Japanese cities to Asian cities.
In the future, we will expand these efforts to Asia at large.
We would like to join forces with other Asian countries
to realize this community.
About a month ago, I visited a “kosen” in Bangkok.
A “kosen” is a unique higher education institution
created by Japan to train engineers who can apply theirskills.
In Thailand, there is “kosen” which was establishedwith the support of Japan.
As is the case with “kosen,” Japan has long provided
support for human resource development in order tocultivate human resources in the countries we support.
As a good neighbor and a good partner, we will work
together with you all to pave the way for the future ofAsia. That is our aim.
Japan is determined to do its utmost towards this end
and actively fulfill its roles and responsibilities.
In closing, I would like to wish all the participants here
today good health and continued growth in the future.