On South China Sea, Japan should not play a disruptive role

The joint statement after the meeting of Japanese and Philippine ministers is an example of Japan’s attempts to exert influence over the South China Sea issue, although it is not a party to the dispute

Japan should take a constructive stance instead of cooperating with the US to promote bloc-based division

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USS John S. McCain, the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Arunta and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force’s JS Kirisame operate together during a trilateral exercise in the South China Sea on October 22, 2020. Photo: US Pacific Fleet

Ding Duo

Ding Duo is an associate research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS).

Published: 7:30am, 14 Apr 2022

On April 9, Japan and the Philippines held their first “2+2” meeting of foreign and defence ministers in Tokyo. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Japan and the Philippines expressed serious concerns over the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, while stressing the importance of peace and stability in the region and its maritime security. The statement said the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) is a vital element for regional peace and prosperity.

Japan concurred with the Philippines’ long-standing objections to illegal maritime claims, militarisation, coercive activities, and the threat or use of force in the South China Sea and supports the 2016 South China Sea arbitration award. The Philippines stressed that the South China Sea arbitration award is “final” and legally binding”.

During the meeting of the Japanese and Philippine defence ministers, the two sides agreed to further boost security cooperation by conducting joint exercises. After the meeting, Japan’s Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters, “The Philippines is an island nation like Japan, a littoral state in the South China Sea, and an ally of the United States like Japan. We consider it a very important country”.

This again confirms that Japan regards the Philippines as its strategic security point in the Western Pacific region and the focus of its involvement in the South China Sea issue.