A rising sun for a rising region: The ASEAN-Japan relationship
On 01 November 2017, Filipinos celebrated Undas, to commemorate their late loved ones. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself, who was on foreign soil, dedicated this day to pay his respects to a friend—not just of his, but of the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
On the last day of his Japan visit, President Duterte conferred the Grand Collar of the Order of Sikatuna—the highest diplomatic merit of the Philippines—to the late Former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda.
Fukuda, after all, was responsible for the 1977 doctrine, eventually named after him, that made the ASEAN-Japan ties possible. Forty years later, the document’s key foundations survive, and are growing stronger than ever as the ASEAN evolves into a global power.
On that same day, Fukuda’s son Yasuo, a former Prime Minister himself, stood with President Duterte on behalf of his father. Just a few days prior, the younger Fukuda reiterated the continuing significance of his old man’s document, as it celebrated four decades since its conception.
“In the forty years that ensued, Japan has kept its promise and has consistently cooperated with ASEAN,” the 81-year-old statesman said at an October 27 symposium in Jakarta.
All those years of strong partnership may have been a tough promise to keep, but Fukuda remains positive about what the region can achieve—with his nation in tow.
“ASEAN is on a steady path toward becoming an economic community. But I would encourage ASEAN to not be satisfied with the status quo, and instead aim for a yet more enhanced form of economic cooperation, and then go further still to realize that vision across an even wider region,” he said.
Fortunately, his optimism is warranted. The ASEAN-Japan relations have not faltered over the years—especially in terms of economic ties. According to a DBS Research Group report, Japan’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in the ASEAN-6 (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam) have risen to an average of US$20 billion per year, for the last five years.
As for Japan’s FDI to the whole of Asia, they are already giving more than 50 percent of that to the ASEAN-6 since 2013, and it is about to go higher. The same report cited the Japan Bank for International Cooperation in saying 56 percent of Japanese firms are set to expand business in the ASEAN in the next three years.
The report said this is largely due to the openness of the ASEAN market and the growth potential of the region. The latter is fueled by low per capita incomes and the relatively young population. In fact, with these factors present, the Philippines and Vietnam currently run a GDP growth of about 6 percent, catching up to China.
Japan knows the driving force of this region is the youth, which is why the Land of the Rising Sun has given them opportunities to further contribute to the ASEAN. Back in 2007, the nation began the Japan East-Asia Network of Exchange Students and Youths (JENESYS) to foster a sense of togetherness and mutual understanding of Japan and ASEAN’s respective cultures.
Previous years saw hundreds of students from the ASEAN Member States invited to Japan, while Japanese students were brought in exchange to Southeast Asian nations. During JENESYS 2016, around 2000 ASEAN students were brought into Japanese soil to not only explore their nation and culture, but to discuss the year’s theme, which was the Asia Pacific economic partnership.
“What really amazed me and have [sic] given me a great impact/lesson when I was in Japan was the value of ‘discipline’ that I have seen with my host family… It was one of the great values I have learned in the Japanese culture… Because of their example, I am inspired every day to do the same thing as they did,” Jessa Mier Cos, a Filipino participant of the 2008 program, said of her experience.
Through the continued participation of Japan in the environmental, socio-cultural, and development endeavors of the region, Takeo Fukuda’s legacy lives on. However, the nation does not want to stop there.
One of the reasons the senior Fukuda initiated the doctrine was to improve Japan’s image across the ASEAN after World War II. To prevent such crisis from happening again, they intend to show the region that they are ready to protect it.
Last year, former Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada introduced the Vientiane Vision, the first ASEAN defense initiative. With this development, Japan aims to advance comprehensive defense cooperation with the association’s Member States, promoting the rule of law and strengthening maritime security.
All these efforts are tall tasks to keep up, but if ASEAN can hold on to anything, it is the fact that its partner continues to be committed to the promises it made 40 years ago. Not only that—it wants to do more for the group of nations that set aside the bad blood from strife and accepted it wholeheartedly.
And there is no one more reliable a source on this than the son of the man who started it all.
“Japan’s history with ASEAN started at the very beginning from when ASEAN was first established 50 years ago… Japan’s relationship with ASEAN will remain unchanged as we walk the next 50 years together,” the younger Fukuda said in his speech. (MRF/CG-PIA)
