New Delhi: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put a great strain on the global economy including energy and food security, and Japan is keen to respond to the challenges by working hand-in-hand with India, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.
In an exclusive interview to PTI, Hayashi cited China’s “unilateral attempts” to change the status quo by force in East and South China as well as its military activities around Taiwan as the region’s challenges and concerns.
He said Japan’s revised National Security Strategy views China’s current external stance and military activities as “unprecedented” and the “greatest” strategic challenge in ensuring peace and stability of Japan and the international community. Hayashi additionally mentioned that it’s vital to construct a free and an open worldwide order that’s inclusive and primarily based on the rule of legislation to keep up peace and stability within the Indo-Pacific, a area that has seen mounting Chinese assertiveness. He mentioned because the G7 president, Japan needs to coordinate carefully with the G20 president India in addressing urgent world challenges.“2023 is a crucial year as Japan chairs G7 and India chairs G20. As the premier forum for international economic cooperation, G20 is of paramount importance for responding effectively to issues facing the international community, such as food security and development,” he mentioned.
The Japanese international minister was in Delhi to attend a Quad international ministerial assembly that extensively deliberated on the state of affairs within the Indo-Pacific within the backdrop of China’s army muscle flexing.He mentioned the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition is neither an initiative to counter one thing nor for army cooperation and referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phrases that it’s a “force for good”.
The Japanese minister mentioned given India’s “outstanding” management, together with its internet hosting of the Voice of Global South Summit in January, having coordination with New Delhi has turn into extra important now.“Because of the adverse effect by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, establishing access to affordable, safe and nutritious food as well as ensuring resilient food security has become an urgent priority,” he mentioned.“Moreover, transparent and fair developmental finance has become essential for sustainable development of developing countries. There is ample room for cooperation between G7 and G20, especially in these areas,” he added.
Japan is the present chair of the highly effective G7 grouping. “Nevertheless, given that Russia continues its aggression in Ukraine and is a member of the G20, we can no longer sustain cooperation in the same ways as before the invasion. We will explore how we can collaborate with such limitations in consultation with India,” he mentioned.
“Given India’s outstanding leadership, including its hosting Voice of Global South Summit in January, coordination with India is now even more vital. Japan looks forward to working hand in hand with India to lead responses to global challenges,” he mentioned.The Japanese Foreign Minister famous that the Russian invasion of Ukraine put an amazing pressure on the worldwide financial system and livelihoods of individuals all around the globe in varied elements, together with vitality and meals.
“Given these circumstances, Japan is keen to discuss with India ways to respond to key issues such as food and energy security, with the cooperation of the international community,” he mentioned.
“In addition, leveraging existing economic ties, Japan will work with India bilaterally to respond to such challenges and consider ways of effective cooperation with middle to long-term perspectives,” he mentioned.For occasion, he mentioned Japan needs to utilise the Japan-India Clean Energy Partnership, launched throughout Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s go to to India in March 2022 with the intention to realise carbon impartial and secure and secure provide of vitality. “New energy sources such as hydrogen and ammonia are also promising areas of cooperation,” Hayashi mentioned.
On China’s rising muscle flexing within the area, the international minister mentioned Japan is discovering itself within the midst of the “most severe” and complicated safety surroundings for the reason that finish of World War II.He mentioned sustaining and strengthening the free and open worldwide order primarily based on the rule of legislation has by no means been extra essential than now.
“Against this backdrop, Japan issued a new National Security Strategy. Vis-a-vis China, there are a number of challenges and concerns along with various opportunities, such as China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas, including in the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands,” he mentioned.“This also includes a series of military activities by China around Taiwan, in particular the launch of ballistic missiles into the seas adjacent to Japan which also includes its Exclusive Economic Zones,” he mentioned.Hayashi mentioned the National Security Strategy revised late final yr views China’s present exterior stance and army actions as an “unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge” in guaranteeing the peace and stability of Japan and the worldwide neighborhood, in addition to strengthening the worldwide order primarily based on the rule of legislation.“It states that Japan should respond with comprehensive national power and in cooperation with its ally and like-minded countries,” he mentioned.
At the identical time, he mentioned Japan and China have nice duty in direction of the peace and prosperity of the area and the world.He mentioned Japan will firmly keep and assert our place and strongly requests accountable actions from China. “At the same time, both sides will make an effort to build a constructive and stable relationship by continuing dialogues, including at the leaders’ level, and working together on common challenges,” he mentioned.On the Indo-Pacific, Hayashi mentioned it’s vital to construct a free and open worldwide order that’s inclusive and primarily based on the rule of legislation in accordance with the imaginative and prescient of ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)’.
“The Quad is not an initiative to counter something nor for military cooperation; rather, to borrow Prime Minister Modi’s words, it is a ‘force for good.’”
He mentioned the Quad member states have been engaged on a variety of sensible cooperation, together with in well being, infrastructure, local weather change, maritime area consciousness and catastrophe response.
“I strongly believe that candid discussions among the four countries, which share a common vision for the future, including at leaders and foreign ministers’ level, will contribute to the deepening of Japan-India relations as well,” he mentioned.
Replying to a query on general India-Japan ties, Hayashi referred to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida’s announcement final yr in regards to the purpose of 5 trillion yen private and non-private funding and financing from Japan to India within the subsequent 5 years.
“In order to achieve this goal, Japan is deepening economic bonds and encouraging Japanese companies to boost their investment in India. Looking ahead, we will work with India on pressing issues such as clean energy and economic security by building on our existing economic ties,” he mentioned.
“India is the world’s biggest democracy, and the Special Strategic Global Partner with whom Japan shares basic principles and strategic interests. Further, this year is crucial as Japan chairs G7 and India chairs G20. Japan wishes to cooperate closely with India and contribute to the international community,” he added.
Hayashi described 2022 as a milestone yr for Japan-India bilateral ties because it marked the seventieth anniversary of the institution of the diplomatic relationship.
“Especially, our cooperation flourished in the area of security and defense, an example of which is the first ever Japan-India bilateral fighter jet exercise that took place in Japan in January this year,” he mentioned.
