Программа «Официальная помощь в целях безопасности» Японии: цели и перспективы в условиях новой геополитической реальности

Abstract

The article analyzes the new program of the Government of Japan – “Official Security Assistance” (OSA). Its key concepts were published in April-July 2023. The purpose of the implementation of the OSA program is to create a group of ‘like-minded countries’, which share foreign policy priorities of Japan, primarily regarding China and Russian Federation, bilateral relations of Japan with these countries have deteriorated in the second decade of the 21th century. Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji were selected as OSA recipient countries in 2023. The author analyzes numerous national security-related international cooperation programs of Japan, and compares OSA with the similar program aimed at socio-economic support for developing countries – “Official Development Assistance” (ODA). The author also determines the level of participation of Southeast Asian and Oceania countries in the above-mentioned international programs of Japan. The analysis of the socio-political discourse shows that the implementation of the OSA program may be held at the same time with the revision of the basic documents restricting the export of weapons from Japan. Other negative outcome is connected with strengthening of global negative perceptions of Japan as a country that has departed from the former principles of pacifism. The negative consequences of the OSA for the Russian Federation include the potential expansion of the pro-Japanese bloc in terms of number of member state, as well as the decision to include Ukraine as OSA recipient country.