An interesting report from Japanese media. While the NHK reports are almost certainly
predigested, the fact remains that Myanmar’s agreement with Japan represents a
turning point for Myanmar. While Bejing
has been fueling nationalism on the mainland, and Chinese ships have been more
and more assertive in the East and South China Seas, this new assertiveness has
given rise to much concern among China’s neighbors. Vietnam and the Philippines have already
reached agreements with Japan, and Thailand has already begun to conduct joint
exercises with the US.
With Shinzo Abe back in power (and very direct about his affiliation with
the right wing), we can expect Japan to continue pushing for agreements with
South Asian countries that will help ‘contain’ China. While Abe’s ‘Security Diamond’ has not yet
been established, his ‘Values Diplomacy’ (creating alliances between democratic
countries in Asia) is already being set up.
While China wishes to solve its territorial disputes one-on-one, where
it can bring all of its clout to bear against each nation individually, the
nations of Southeast Asia will attempt to bring China into multilateral talks,
restricting China in a negotiation environment where multiple countries working
together can even the playing field.
Japanese
Media: Myanmar turns its back on China, welcomes Japanese patrol boats
Tong Qian
BBC Chinese Net – Japan Special
Correspondent
Last updated October 2nd, 2013 GMT
4:17 AM
Japanese military ships dock
in Myanmar to counter the Chinese navy
Japanese ships docked at
Myanmar for the first time and held serious dialogues and activities, drawing
much attention from mainstream Japanese media.
On Tuesday night, state news
channel NHK described the new situation of exchange between Japanese and Myanmar
militaries: “As Myanmar undergoes democratization and turns its back on China,
Japan is taking advantage of the situation.”
At present there three
Japanese military vessels anchored in the Thilawa Harbor outside of Myanmar’s
capital, Yangon. The Japanese
Self-Defense Force naval vessels include the exercise vessels Kashima and
Shirayuki, and the frigate Jiyuki. In
total there are 170 JSDF soldiers overseeing military exercises of 730 people.
With its purpose as ‘Far Sea
Exercises’, the ships left Tokyo’s Harumi Bay on May 22nd, planning
to dock at 17 ports in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa, travelling
around the world and back to Tokyo on October 30th.
According to the Japanese
government, the Japanese navy arrived at Thilawa Harbor on September 30th
to establish friendly relations with Myanmar, and will leave on October 4th.
Although Japanese and Myanmar
statements described the purpose of the visit only as “docking” to explain the
Japan’s first docking and conducting of military exercises with Myanmar forces,
officials from the Myanmar navy greeted Japan’s ships when they arrived at Thilawa
Harbor.
NHK released footage showing
Myanmar military officials escorting the Japanese military as they entered the
harbor.
Docking has “Deep
Meaning”
According to mainstream
news sources in Japan, Japanese naval division head Kitagawa told reporters at
the scene that: “Being the first time Japan has conducted military dialogue
with the democratizing Myanmar, this exchange has deep meaning, and serves as a
starting point for new Japan-Myanmar military dialogues.
He also expressed that, so
long as Myanmar is convenient, Japan and Myanmar could conduct joint exercises
within a short period of time.
A report from Jiji Press
pointed out that although the stated purpose of the Japanese ships docking at
Myanmar is friendship, it appears that they are seeking to contain the Chinese navy,
which is currently increasing its maritime activities.
The Tokyo Broadcast System
TBS stated that “Following its democratization, Myanmar is currently pushing
for military dialogue with a number of nations.
In February of this year, Myanmar attended US-Thai military drills for
the first time. Afterwards, in May,
Myanmar’s president Thein Sein reached an agreement with the visiting Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to push for a security partnership.”
Defense University ‘Plants
Seeds’
NHK also reported quoted a
Myanmar military official who, because he had previously studied at Japan’s
National Defense University, could speak Japanese, and expressed his thanks to
Japan.
The report also brought up the
Thai military. When Self-Defense Force
official Onodera Itsunori visited Thailand last month, Thai officials who had
previously studied at Japan’s National Defense University spoke to Onodera in
Japanese.
The report pointed out
that as China has become estranged from Southeast Asian countries because of
political matters and issues of soveriengty, the ‘seeds planted’ through the
National Defense University’s study abroad institutions are coming to fruition.
Translated by: Paul Orner
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