Japanese PM Visits Southeast Asia Focusing on Ukraine Crisis and CCP Threat

On Apr 29th, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida embarked his Southeast Asia visit aimed at coordinating the region’s response to the Ukraine crisis. A Japanese official said that as Asia’s sole member of the G7, Japan wants Southeast Asian countries to hold talks on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and consolidate their response to the issue. So far, only one Southeast Asian country Singapore, imposed sanctions against Russia. In addition, Japan was keen to address the security issues caused by Communist China’s growing influences in the region.

Fumio Kishida first met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the president of G20 this year. Both believed Moscow’s military action have destabilized the foundations of the international order, including Asia, and therefore must be strongly condemned. Kishida said Japan might provide patrol vessels to Indonesia to enhance its the maritime security. Kishida also issued a subtle but strongly-worded statement warning CCP’s overconfidence and strongly protesting CCP’s efforts to unilaterally change the status quo and the economic pressure it exerted on the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

Next stop, Kishida will visit Vietnam, followed by Thailand, the current host nation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), before proceeding to Europe.