Japan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata, has emphasised that Tokyo’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision is intended to promote regional stability and peaceful coexistence rather than to serve as a military strategy. Speaking to Free Malaysia Today in Kuala Lumpur, Shikata urged cooperation and dialogue to manage rising uncertainties across the region.
Japan FOIP and ASEAN cooperation
Shikata said the FOIP concept, first advanced by former prime minister Shinzo Abe, seeks to uphold freedom of navigation, respect for international law and open economic connectivity across the Indo-Pacific. He added that Japan sees FOIP and the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) as mutually compatible approaches that favour inclusivity and multilateral dialogue over bloc-based rivalry.
“What we wish to promote is how we can live peacefully together, with prosperity,” Shikata said. He noted Japan’s concern about several regional flashpoints, including the prolonged crisis in Myanmar and evolving border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, and said Tokyo is closely watching developments.
The ambassador described FOIP as a framework for cooperation across maritime affairs, connectivity, sustainable development and economic growth. He argued that such cooperation should be built on Asean centrality, a principle embedded in the AOIP which Asean adopted in 2019 to articulate its own vision for the Indo-Pacific without aligning with any single major power.
Tokyo’s position comes as Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, prepares to take office. Toshihiro Kitamura, press secretary at Japan’s foreign ministry, told the same publication that the incoming administration intends to deepen partnership with Asean. Kitamura described the approach as one of continuity, reflecting a decade of steady diplomacy and a commitment to co-create regional architecture with Asean on an equal footing.
Kitamura said the Takaichi administration will carry forward FOIP while continuing collaboration on initiatives such as the Asean-Japan Economic Co-Creation Forum, support for Palestinian reconstruction, and the Asia Zero Emission Community. Takaichi, Japan’s first woman prime minister and regarded as a mentee of Abe, is expected to maintain Tokyo’s role as a respected regional partner.
Analysts say Japan’s emphasis on cooperation and shared frameworks offers a path to reduce strategic tension in the Indo-Pacific. By aligning FOIP with Asean priorities, Tokyo aims to reassure regional states that the vision is not a vehicle for military alignment but a platform for economic and diplomatic engagement.
For now, Tokyo’s message is one of measured engagement. Japan plans to remain active in regional forums and to work with Asean states to address immediate crises while advancing longer-term programmes that bolster connectivity, climate action and economic resilience across the Indo-Pacific.
Key Takeaways:
- Japan presents the Free and Open Indo-Pacific as a peace framework, highlighting Japan FOIP and ASEAN cooperation.
- Tokyo is watching crises in Myanmar and border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
- New prime minister Sanae Takaichi plans continuity on FOIP and deeper partnership with Asean.
