Japan, Germany’s first ‘2 plus 2’ dialogue shows extent of Tokyo’s outreach amid China’s rising assertiveness: analysts
- Defence and foreign ministers from Berlin and Tokyo are expected to discuss the ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’, according to the Yomiuri newspaper
- Experts say the meeting is significant and shows Japan is attempting to expand its security ties beyond traditional partners such as the US
Given Germany’s geographical distance from East Asia, the meeting was “interesting and significant”, said Hiromi Murakami, a professor of political science at the Tokyo campus of Temple University.
“There has been quite a lot of discussion in the Japanese media in recent weeks about Germany sending a warship to the region, which has struck me as a major change in [Berlin’s] attitude,” she said.
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Japan appears to be motivated to seek out new allies to ratchet up the global pressure on Beijing to moderate its policies, which range from the repression of the political opposition in Hong Kong to reports alleging human rights abuses against the Uygur people in Xinjiang.
Other primary concerns revolve around territorial disputes, such as Diaoyu Islands, which are claimed by Beijing despite being controlled by Tokyo, which calls them the Senkaku Islands.
“Japan has been quick to win the support of the new US government in Washington on the question of the Senkakus, but Tokyo will be hoping to have more governments also recognise Japanese sovereignty,” Murakami said. “And that is why they are exploring all the possibilities that exist.”
Japan’s defence minister Nobuo Kishi in December held online talks with his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and asked the German government to take part in freedom of navigation operations in the disputed waterway.
Kishi, in a statement from the defence ministry, said discussions with Germany were “aimed at promoting cooperation with like-minded countries that share a goal of realising freedom of navigation, the rule of law and connectivity”.
The statement added that it was “important for each country, including China, to refrain from taking actions that escalate tensions and to act in accordance with the rule of law, taking into account the current security environment in the South China Sea”.
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However, he said, there was still a desire in Tokyo to avoid being dragged into a trade or military conflict with China.
“Japan’s economy and trade are heavily dependent on ties with China, and Tokyo does not want its economy to suffer any further damage that could be the result of Japan siding with the US,” Zinberg said. “It is possible that Japan is hoping to reduce its dependence on the US and is reaching out to other countries, even if they are far away, that it sees as perhaps more reliable.”