Abe's assertive strategy divides ASEAN governments
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's determination to push through controversial security legislation creates a dilemma for the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
These countries have come to expect a calmer, more consensus-based approach from Japan; Abe's strategy may have serious implications for Japan's relationship with ASEAN as a whole, and for its ties with individual member states. At the same time, Abe's policy presents an opportunity for ASEAN to play a central role in mediating regional tensions.
Most ASEAN countries had terrible experiences during World War II. Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar (then known as Burma) were invaded by Japan. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, then part of French Indochina, were occupied when the colony was ceded to Japan after France's defeat. Thailand's autocratic government declared war on the Allies under Japanese pressure, and became the scene of fighting between Japanese troops and pro-Allied partisans.
Despite their wartime ordeals, all these countries have come to terms with the past, and with modern Japan, thanks to decades of hard work on both sides. This has re-established a high degree of mutual trust, buttressed by Tokyo's pacifist approach since 1945. In particular, Japan's constitutional bar on military action overseas helped to create confidence in Southeast Asia about the country's long-term agenda.