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Discourse: ‘Countries sharing same values can work together under Indo-Pacific’
Satoshi Morimoto (JP/Dian Septiari)Former Japanese defense minister Satoshi Morimoto was in Jakarta last week to promote his country’s Free and Open Indo Pacific (FOIP) concept across the region
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Satoshi Morimoto (JP/Dian Septiari)
Former Japanese defense minister Satoshi Morimoto was in Jakarta last week to promote his country’s Free and Open Indo Pacific (FOIP) concept across the region. The Jakarta Post’s Dian Septiari sat down with him on Friday to discuss the issue and other regional affairs.
Question: This year ASEAN adopted its own Indo-Pacific Outlook, which does not exclude China from the regional concept. How does Japan see this?
Answer: I think the direction ASEAN has taken is right and is the best it can take because it means that countries sharing the same values can work together in various fields. So if China can agree to the concept, it is expected to participate in or follow the strategy.
However, when China ignores the arbitral tribunal’s ruling on the South China Sea and continues to build and militarize small islands there, and thus threaten other countries, it is against a free and open Indo-Pacific concept.
What kinds of concrete cooperation can alleviate tension in the South China Sea?
Japan agrees to the United States’ freedom of navigation and Japan has sometimes conducted operations with the US, although Japan also implements the freedom of navigation using our own ships.
In addition, Japan cooperates with neighboring countries, especially ASEAN members, so that China can agree on a code of conduct in the South China Sea.
In particular I would like to emphasize that Japan is working with ASEAN countries to develop skills through technical training for their military forces, as well as assistance in terms of natural disaster mitigation
Japan and South Korea’s strained relations have escalated from trade to security tension, which has spread anxiety in the region. What steps will Japan take to reduce hostility?
Japan and South Korea have a variety of difficult issues due to the historical background between the two countries, namely the issue of Korean workers, the issue of Takeshima Island, and also the issue of the Japanese flag now used in the Japanese Navy. There is also a radar dispute Japan has with the South Korean military forces, as well as disputes on trade and GSOMIA [General Security of Military Information Agreement].
Basically these things must be resolved based on international laws, which also include the basic agreement of the two countries signed in 1965 and the economic cooperation agreement between Japan and South Korea.
In August, South Korea tried to pull out from the GSOMIA. Seeing the situation, the US also expressed dissatisfaction and coordinated with Japan and South Korea so that on Nov. 23, South Korea decided to suspend its process to end the GSOMIA. And after the decision, Japan and Korea have been discussing trade issues.
With this rising tension, what is the future of peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, especially since the negotiations between North Korea and the US have stalled?
There are two things we need to do for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. First, we need to stop the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles — which pose a threat to the Korean peninsula — while at the same time continuing negotiations for denuclearization.
For that matter, negotiations between the US and North Korea must resume as soon as possible and discussions should be more concrete and have more substance.
Second, the alliance between the US, Japan and South Korea should be maintained, and for that reason, it is important to normalize Japan and South Korea relations. Therefore, we think it is very important for South Korea to be more proactive.
Do we need a new framework for negotiations with North Korea?
In my opinion we do not need any new framework. We are now waiting for a dialogue between senior officials for the third summit between the US and North Korea. But now North Korea has not shown its intention to participate in these negotiations and instead is demanding that some of the sanctions currently being imposed on them
be lifted.
Right now, North Korea continues to send threats so that the US accepts its demand. Since May, North Korea has launched short-range ballistic missiles 14 times. This will make the situation even more difficult […] and we want North Korea to stop these threats and return to the negotiating table.
What do you think about President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s balancing policies with East Asian countries, including Japan and China?
Indonesia’s foreign policy is defined by Indonesia itself and other countries do not need to provide input. But I think it is important that we see whether China is working toward peace and stability in the region.
At the moment we see China not following the international law and continuing to advance into seas in this region. China has an influence in the region in terms of digital economy through Huawei and Tencent, so we need to see how China can contribute to the peace and stability of the region.
Japan and Indonesia have been working together while observing what China is doing. In addition, Japan hopes Indonesia will continue to play a pivotal role in ASEAN with strong leadership.
