Japan is a cuddlier friend to South-East Asia than America or China
Relations between Japan and ASEAN are entering a new era
Asian geopolitics is often described in terms of two giants: America, the incumbent superpower, and China, a rising one, standing astride the region and competing to pull smaller countries to their sides, including the ten members of ASEAN, the Association of South-East Asian Nations. But this misses a lot. It elides smaller countries’ agency and oversimplifies what is rarely a Manichaean divide. It also ignores the pivotal role of another rich power with strong ties: Japan.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “ Cuddles with intent”
From the December 16th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
How 1.4bn Indians are adapting to climate change
As heat, floods and drought get worse, people are getting creative
Economic bright spots are getting harder to find in Thailand
Falling car production is a sign of a deeper malaise
Another accidental aircraft shootdown is a matter of when, not if
The spread of conflict in Asia threatens the safety of air travellers
Why you’re not on holiday in India right now
A fabulous destination for foreign tourists does little to lure them
Singapore’s government is determined to keep hawker centres alive
Why is the city-state’s bare-bones government running a bureaucracy of stir-fries?
Dommaraju Gukesh’s win will accelerate India’s chess ambitions
The youngest-ever world champion is part of a bigger country-wide trend
