Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” Initiative: Japan silently refines its strategic nature

Abstract

In March 2023, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced “Japan’s New Plan for a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).’” Prior to this, in December 2022, the Kishida Cabinet revised the National Security Strategy and adopted the National Defense Strategy. The new National Security Strategy officially positioned the FOIP as a fundamental component of Japan’s security strategy. Furthermore, the Kishida Cabinet has presented the New Plan as the first comprehensive outline of the specific policies that Japan will pursue under the initiative. The New Plan contains “four pillars of cooperation” with a total of 51 policies. Despite the expanded scope of security policies, the Kishida Cabinet emphasizes the diplomatic nature of the initiative, highlighting various agendas for cooperation in the region. This article illustrates how Prime Minister Kishida silently maintains and refines the strategic nature of the initiative with the New Plan in response to the growing presence and influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region.