Japanese Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific Age:
Toward a Collaborative Relationship with Emerging Powers[Overview of research]
In light of the overlapping political, economic, and security issues concerning the Indianand the Pacific Oceans, the regional categorization “Indo-Pacific” has drawn muchattention lately.

The Indo-Pacific region is of increasing strategic importance from theperspective of maritime security and safety over sea lines of communication,inter-regional dynamics, and the geo-political rivalry among major powers. Amidst theemerging presence of the Indo-Pacific as a strategic environment, it is a new agenda forJapan’s diplomacy to engage how its regional order will be established and how its
regional norms and rules are structured, all of which are deeply intertwined with Japan’s
security and prosperity.
This research project pays attention to those states characterized as “emerging powers.”
These states (including mainly NICs and LDCs, but also regional frameworks such as
ASEAN) may not have decisive influence by themselves, whereas theses emerging
powers can affect the direction of the regional order. This project focuses on theemerging powers especially India, Indonesia, ASEAN, and Australia. While focusing onthese states, this project aims to contribute to build an “Indo-Pacific” regional order thatis desirable for Japan by enhancing cooperation with these emerging powers.
The significance of this project with regards to Japan’s diplomacy is to encourage apolicy orientation of these emerging powers that extends the support for a liberal order,
which leads to sustain and strengthen such liberal norms and rules amidst China’s
expanding influence in the region. The project will provide a new diplomatic compass
for Japan by considering and proposing the appropriate course of action with bearing inminds the needs and the sensitivities of these states.

Furthermore, an emphasis on

the Japan-U.S. alliance as common public goods for the region and the support andunderstanding of the alliance in the region will not only enhance Japan’s diplomacy, butalso strengthen the foundation of the alliance itself.
This project crafts policy recommendations that strengthen Japan’s ties with theemerging powers to support a regional order based on liberal norms and rules
preferable to Japan, especially those policy recommendations to strengthen relationshipwith emerging powers including India, Indonesia, ASEAN, and Australia. In doing so,
this project will conduct research, analysis, and public diplomacy toward the public
opinion in such nations to enhance their understanding of Japanese diplomacy in theIndo-Pacific.

[Study Group Members]
Chairman
KIKUCHI Tsutomu (Adjunct Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs / Professor,
Aoyama Gakuin University)
Members
ITO Toru (Associate Professor, National Defense Academy of Japan)
KATADA Saori (Associate Professor, University of Southern California)
KATO Yoichi (Bureau Chief, Asahi Shimbun)
KAMIYA Matake (Professor, National Defense Academy of Japan)
TAKAGI Seijiro (Senior Adjunct Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs)
NAKAYAMA Toshihiro (Adjunct Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs / Professor,Aoyama Gakuin University)
FUKUDA Tamotsu (Lecturer, Toyo Eiwa Jogakuin)
HONNA Jun (Associate Professor, Ritsumeikan University)
YAGI Naoto (Instructor, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Staff College)
SATU Limaye (Director, East-West Center in Washington)
Members & Secretaries
IIJIMA Toshiro (Deputy Director General and Senior Research Fellow, The Japan
Institute of International Affairs)
ISHIDA Yasuyuki (Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs)