In an unprecedented display of proactive foreign policy, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited all ten ASEAN nations during his first year in office and hosted a special ASEAN leadership summit in Tokyo. Tsutomu Kikuchi and Tomotsu Fukuda examined Japan’s evolving foreign policy vis-à-vis ASEAN and considered whether it constitutes a new diplomatic strategy preoccupied with China or a policy more focused on the rise of ASEAN. The speakers also considered implications for the U.S. rebalancing to Asia and Japan-China relations. James L. Schoff moderated.

Tsutomu Kikuchi

Tsutomu Kikuchi is professor of international political economy of the Asia-Pacific at Aoyama-Gakuin University. He has also been an adjunct fellowat the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) since 1987. He is a specialist on Japanese foreign policy and Southeast Asia.

Tamotsu Fukuda

Tamotsu Fukuda is a professor at Toyo Eiwa University focused on Japan’s foreign and security policies involving ASEAN. He previously was a fellow at JIIA studying Asian regional security and multilateralism in the Asia-Pacific. 

James L. Schoff

James L. Schoff is a senior associate in the Carnegie Asia Program. His research focuses on U.S.-Japanese relations and regional engagement, Japanese politics and security, and the private sector’s role in Japanese policymaking.