Japan Announces Plans to Boost Security Role in Region

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Friday the country's plans to strengthen its diplomatic and security role in the Asia-Pacific region to address the growing threat of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Fumio Kishida said in a keynote speech at Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asian security forum, that Ukraine today could become East Asia tomorrow. Japan has promoted a free and open Indo-Pacific security and economic framework among like-minded democracies to counter the rise of China. 

He said Japan would provide such assistance to at least 20 countries, train at least 800 maritime security personnel, and provide approximately $2 billion in assistance over the next three years.

Fumio Kishida has already promised to increase Japan's military power and spending. Japan's attempt to expand its security role in Asia, where many countries are suffering from the invasion of World War II, is a subtle issue.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the threat of using nuclear weapons have made the road to a world free of nuclear bombs more difficult, citing his position as the leader of the only country suffering from a nuclear attack, Kishida said the trend must be reversed.