Greetings,
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ITO Kenichi
President, CEAC
"CEAC Commentary"
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"CEAC Commentary" presents views of members and friends of CEAC on an East Asian Community and other related international affairs. The view expressed herein is the author's own and should not be attributed to CEAC.
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Strengthening Security Networks between Japan, the United States, Australia and India
By ISHIGAKI Yasuji
Delegate for Japan to AALCO
China's military build-up and maritime expansion are causing direct and indirect impacts on its neighboring countries and are leading those countries to change their approaches to the situations. As widely known, the relationships between China and some ASEAN countries are tensing up over the islands in disputed waters across the South China Sea. However, it is also worth noting that the United States, Japan, Australia and India are expanding and strengthening their collaboration on joint military drills in addition to developing close mutual security dialogues.
Japan and Australia have long developed bilateral alliances with the United States. In recent years, the security dialogues between these three countries have been becoming closer and the fourth ministerial meeting of the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue was held in September 2009. In addition, Japan and the United States had the first high-ranking working level meeting on common issues including national security with India in Washington in December 2011 and also had the second meeting in Tokyo in April 2012. The third meeting is expected to be held in India.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta visited India on June 6 this year to meet with Defense Minister A.K. Antony. After the meeting, Panetta delivered a speech on a new U.S. Asia-Pacific defense strategy in New Delhi, stating that "the U.S. will expand its military partnerships and its presence in the arc extending from East Asia into South Asia. Our defense cooperation with India is one of the linchpins in this strategy." He confirmed the U.S. policy of strengthening its defense ties with India and India also made clear the intention of further developing its military modernization based on its strengthening the relationship with the U.S.
In addition, on June 9, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces conducted its first joint military exercise with the Indian Navy in the Sagami Bay, Japan. In this drill, four vessels including the Indian Navy's escort ship and the MSDF's two destroyers and helicopters were deployed and formation drills and search and rescue exercises were carried out. These exercises were based on the agreement on conducting joint drills, which had been made in November 2011 at the bilateral defense ministers meeting, in line with the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between Japan and India, which had been announced in 2008.
SUGIMOTO Masahiko, MSDF Chief of Staff, stated in a press conference on June 5, "The drills are intended to develop tactical skills and also to promote our friendships with the Indian Navy. It will contribute to stabilizing the Asia-Pacific region." Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Ajit Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, reportedly said to the press, "Our collaboration through the exercise with the Japanese MSDF is significant with a view to defending maritime transportation routes and addressing piracy issues."
The security cooperation between Japan, the United States and Australia has been robust on the basis of alliances. In the meantime, India's commitment to the Japan-U.S. security dialogue and joint military exercise may seem to be linked with India's intention to secure its own national interests. There is no doubt, however, that behind this move are in part India's strategic intention to cope with the recent expanding Chinese Naval activities into broader areas including the Indian Ocean.
(This is the English translation of an article which originally appeared on the BBS "Hyakka-Somei" of CEAC on 10 June, 2012, and was posted on "CEAC Commentary" on 21 August, 2012.)
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For more views and opinions in the backnumber of "CEAC Commentary," the latest of which are as follows, please refer to:
http://www.ceac.jp/e/commentary/backnumber.html
No.75 Diplomatic Bluebook and South Korea's Protest
by SAKURADA Jun, Professor, Toyo Gakuen University
(28 June 2012)
No.74 A Misunderstanding on North Korean issue
by SUZUKI Keisuke, former Member of the House of Representatives
(27 April 2012)
No.73 President Vaclav Havel as a Symbol of Good and Kim Jong-il as a Synonym for Evil
by IRIYAMA Akira, Visiting Professor at Cyber University, and Executive Research Advisor of the International Development Center of Japan
(14 February 2012)
No.72 Declare the Japan's Vision on the Asia-Pacific Liberalization
by YAMAZAWA Ippei, Professor Emeritus of Hitotsubashi University
(19 December 2011)
No.71 Prime Minister Noda's Negativism toward an "East Asian Community" Contradicts the National Interest of Japan
by KIKUCHI Yona, Research Fellow of JFIR
(19 October 2011)
"CEAC Updates"
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"CEAC Updates" introduces to you latest events, announcements and/or publications of CEAC.
Event
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The Network of East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT) Working Group Meeting on "Regional Cooperation on Disaster Management in East Asia" Held
NEAT Working Group Meeting on "Regional Cooperation on Disaster Management in East Asia" was held on 26-27 July in Tokyo hosted by NEAT Japan. Nineteen experts representating from ASEAN countries, Japan, China, Korea and ASEAN Secretariat participated. As for Japan, Prof. OKAZAKI Kenji, Director of the NEAT Working Group, Member of CEAC and Professor of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Prof. HIRABAYASHI Hiroshi, Executive Vice-President of CEAC and Vice President of the Japan Forum on International Relations, and other members.
For more, please refer to:
http://www.ceac.jp/e/neat.html
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