Regarding the resumption of shuttle diplomacy with President Yoon Seok-yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his desire to improve Korea-Japan relations, saying, “We will conduct close communication and proceed with concrete cooperation.”
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 26th, Prime Minister Kishida said this while addressing the 28th Nikkei Forum ‘Future of Asia’ dinner held in Tokyo the previous day.
In particular, Prime Minister Kishida mentioned Korea and four countries/regions—Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Pacific Islands—as important cooperation areas in Asia.
He said that he would stand on an equal footing with Asian countries and regions and “join hands and create the future together.”
He said that the keyword for the future of Asia is ‘co-creation’ and that it is important to build relationships based on the needs of the other party. He emphasized that it is different from the West, such as the US and Europe, which value values, and China, which is hegemonic.
Regarding the realization of the “free and open Indo-Pacific,” which Japan is aiming for, he explained, “It is important to share and practice ideas that do not unilaterally pressure values and exclude certain countries.”
With China in mind, he kept in check that economic coercion, such as the ‘debt trap’, which takes away rights and interests from countries that are unable to pay their debts, is “unacceptable.” He said the need to strengthen “a free and open international order based on the rule of law”.
Prime Minister Kishida announced at the Special Summit between Japan and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) to be held in Tokyo in December of this year, “We will present a new vision for cooperation.” He cited Sri Lanka’s contribution to debt restructuring and cooperation with Pacific Island Countries to tackle sea level rise as examples.
He also said that he would act as a bridge between the United States and Asia in relation to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which is being led by the United States.
The G7 summit held in Hiroshima from the 19th to the 21st of this month said that it “faced the challenges facing the world head-on.” ▲ Reinforcing the international order based on the rule of law ▲ Strengthening involvement of emerging and developing countries called the Global South ▲ Sending a message that nuclear weapons will not be used.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.