Link to article: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/11/05/japan/politics/fumio-kishida-philippines-malaysia-analysis/
This weekend Japan turned to Southeast Asia to bolster security due to growing concerns about China’s growing military. Japan fears that its defense alliance with the United States will not be enough to combat China shortly. Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, met with Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, this weekend. The two leaders discussed accelerating the implementation of Japan’s Official Security Assistance Program. The OSA aims to provide supplies, equipment, and developmental assistance to partner countries in the form of grants. Most of the targeted countries in the OSA are in the Asia-Pacific Region to deter Chinese aggression in nearby areas to develop a more favorable balance of power. Kishida also met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to begin talks regarding a Reciprocal Access Agreement. This should help develop bilateral security cooperation and trilateral ties with the United States.
These meetings convey the urgency in protection and defense in East Asia due to China’s intent. Despite Malaysia’s history of cooperation with China, the state has a clear desire to attain a safer status for not just itself, but the rest of the region. This also just displays an overarching concern from Japan, as they are acknowledging China’s improving military status and knowing that they must use diplomacy and connections to maintain the balance of power in the region. In regards to the RAA with the Philippines and Japan, the cooperation furthers the collective desire to maintain the balance of power in the region. All of these countries, and the countries they intend on expanding assistance for, are sharing a common want to maintain peace in the area.
On a global level of causation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has opened other areas’ eyes to the necessity for urgent security improvements to avoid war or invasion. Looking regionally, China’s aggression towards Taiwan and the South China Sea has led Japan and countries in Southeast Asia to come together to counteract the potential conflicts. Domestically, Japan is fearing China’s expanding military and has maintained the current balance of power as a national interest. Looking over to Malaysia, its diplomatic approach to conflicts is bringing it to seek out diplomatic connections that will ensure the security of the region. China’s actions display an offensive realist approach, looking to reclaim Taiwan and potentially more land. On the other hand, the rest of the region represents liberal theory more than anything else, all scrambling to cooperate to maintain the balance of power.