2 Japan's Efforts and Cooperation toward FOIP

To contribute to regional peace and prosperity as an Indo-Pacific nation, Japan has cooperated with like-minded countries and strategically implemented measures for the realization of FOIP, including by using ODA. Specifically, Japan has taken measures, including: (1) promoting policy on maritime order and sharing insights on maritime law with the international community; (2) rule-making to expand a free and fair economic area; (3) enhancing connectivity across the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean; (4) enhancing governance through capacity building; and (5) ensuring maritime security and marine safety.

As for (1), Japan has provided assistance to Southeast Asian countries and Pacific Island countries, including capacity building in maritime law enforcement and trainings on the law of the sea.

As for (2), while economic globalization continues, amid the prolonged novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, global protectionist trends have become even more pronounced. Under these circumstances, the Japan-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Japan-UK CEPA) entered into force in January 2021, following the TPP11 Agreement, the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (Japan-EU EPA), and the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement. Japan leads the creation of economic and trade rules for maintaining and strengthening a free and open international economic order, as also shown in the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement for those signatory states that have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval, including Japan, in January 2022.

As for (3), Japan has implemented projects that help strengthen the connectivity of the Southern Economic Corridor, known as “Mekong's main artery” that connects Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Bangkok to the Indian Ocean, and of the East-West Economic Corridor, which connects Da Nang, Viet Nam to Laos and the inland areas of Thailand to the Indian Ocean via Myanmar.

As for (4), in order to support self-sustained and sustainable growth, Japan provides assistance to countries mainly in Asia and Africa, including macroeconomic trainings by country and dispatch of macroeconomic advisors for capacity building in fiscal policy and public debt management.

As for (5), in order to establish a free and open international order, Japan actively extends capacity building assistance on maritime law enforcement to the Philippines, Viet Nam and other countries located along Japan's sea lanes, including provision of patrol vessels, coastal monitoring radars and other equipment, as well as human resource development through the dispatch of experts and trainings.