Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi traveled to Vietnam and Australia in early May, holding summit meetings with both countries’ leaders. The visits were aimed at countering China’s expanding maritime presence and growing economic pressure on the region.
Japan should continue to strengthen cooperation with Australia and Southeast Asian nations and take a leading role in promoting regional peace and stability. Its relationship with Australia sits at the heart of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision, and together with the United States, the three countries must work to deter China’s growing influence.
Japan–Australia Defense Cooperation
The joint declaration on economic security issued by Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed serious concern over export restrictions on critical minerals, and committed both countries to responding jointly to economic coercion.
On defense, the two sides agreed to deepen industrial cooperation through the joint development of a new Australian naval vessel based on an advanced variant of Japan’s Mogami-class frigate.
Strengthening interoperability between the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Navy marks a significant step forward. A separate security cooperation statement outlined further priorities, including intelligence sharing and the joint development and production of defense capabilities.
Energy Security Cooperation with Vietnam
In Vietnam, Takaichi said in a speech that Japan would work to advance its Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy. This includes expanding the Official Security Assistance (OSA) program to provide defense equipment and deterrence support to more countries and larger projects.
In talks with the Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Japan agreed to support the country’s crude oil procurement through both government and private-sector channels, following disruptions caused by the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The project is expected to be the first under “POWERR Asia,” a new initiative announced by Takaichi to support Asian countries in response to worsening conditions in the Middle East.
Vietnam has deep economic ties with Beijing, yet like the Philippines, it faces growing Chinese military pressure over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Separately, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi traveled to the Philippines during the same period. The Japanese government also plans to host President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a state visit later this month.
Japan should build on this momentum and strengthen ties with like-minded countries, helping ensure that Southeast Asian nations are not drawn into China’s orbit.
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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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