Japan's Roles in the Indo-Pacific Strategy

Yujen Kuo

《Prospect Journal》 19期 (2018/04) Pp. 29-52

摘要

The Indo-Pacific strategy is threat-driven security cooperation among like-minded maritime countries to promote rules-based regional order in responding to the rapid strategic and power structural changes characterized by China's assertive behaviors in the region, which pose increasing challenges to the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Japan has been vigorously promoting the Quad cooperation in carrying out the Indo-Pacific strategy largely to facilitate and institutionalize Japan's maritime security cooperation with surrounding nations and allow Japan to play a leading role in the region. In addition to bilateral security ties with the U.S., Australia, India, and many other countries, Japan's strategic choice to network with more strategic partners in the region also implies a hedging stance to avoid the dilemma of both abandonment and entrapment during a major power struggle between the U.S. and China, which would allow Japan more diplomatic and security maneuverability. It will also largely decrease Japan's time and the costs-pressure of regional security burden-sharing demanded by the U.S. and simultaneously elicit higher U.S. engagement in the region with collective structures. Thus, the Indo-Pacific strategy is not about forming an anti-China alliance of nations but a trilateral, minilateral, functional and regional coalition against China's provocative actions, by joint exercises and training, capacity-building, and promoting regional communication platforms.

關鍵字

Indo-Pacific Strategy ； Minilateral ； South China Sea ； China Threat ； China-U.S. Relations