Amid an ever-evolving global security landscape, the European Union is reportedly advancing discussions with Japan to formulate a defense pact. This strategic move is seen as a response to a “worrying shift” in the dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region.
This prospective agreement, rooted in the EU’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy unveiled in 2021, seeks to deepen cooperation in naval exercises, intelligence sharing, and cyberthreat response. This concerted effort underscores the EU’s pivot towards the Indo-Pacific, signaled by its first joint naval exercise with the US last year, proposals for warship deployments in the Taiwan Strait, and fortified defense links with regional players such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Australia.
The defense pact aligns with the EU’s commitment to a comprehensive Indo-Pacific strategy, emphasizing the bloc’s geopolitical ambitions. Gorana Grgic, a senior researcher at ETH Zurich, highlighted the EU and Japan’s existing naval collaborations in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, pointing out the pressing need to address regional security challenges.
“The discussions on a security agreement between the EU and Japan are not isolated events but rather part of a comprehensive strategy rooted in the EU’s broader geopolitical interests and its commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region,” she said.
Grgic noted that the EU and Japan had held joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, and said the move to expand cooperation showed their shared commitment to addressing regional security challenges.
However, experts, including Frederick Kliem from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, note that the EU’s independent security role remains limited, contingent upon the military contributions of member states. The EU’s defense efforts have predominantly been focused on peace missions, with NATO playing the principal defense role for European nations.
“The EU does not have any hard assets at its disposal. They rely entirely on individual member states’ forces, which at all times remain ultimately under national control,” he said.
Japan’s security forays, including strengthened defense coordination with the US and burgeoning security deals with Britain and Australia, are seen as strategic diversifications. Yoichiro Sato, a professor at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, articulated the importance of such partnerships in affording Japan leverage within its alliance with the US.
“The partnership with Europe also improves Japan’s bargaining power within the US-Japan alliance,” he added.
“The new fighter plane development with the UK and Italy, for example, is a departure for Japan, which previously was confined to licensed production of US-developed equipment and US black-boxing of sensitive technology in joint development.”
As the EU navigates these complex geopolitical waters, its approach to China is described by Grgic as a “delicate exercise,” balancing assertiveness with space for cooperation. With EU leadership elections on the horizon, this balance will remain a critical challenge.
In conclusion, while the EU-Japan defense pact discussions reflect the EU’s strategic reorientation and Japan’s quest for diversified security partnerships, the broader implication is a shift in the geopolitical fabric of the Indo-Pacific.
Relevant articles:
– Europe looks to Japan for defence pact amid ‘worrying shift’ in regional dynamic
– EU to seek security and defense pact with Japan amid China’s assertiveness The Japan Times, Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT
– Japan and ASEAN bolster ties at a summit focused on security and economy amid tensions with China The Associated Press, Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT
– Japan, ASEAN step up security cooperation amid South China Sea tensions Radio Free Asia, Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT