Tokyo [Japan], August 30: Japan has been quietly cultivating ties with developing countries, collectively known as the Southern World, for years through aid programs ranging from building schools and hospitals to roads and ports. Now, Japan's persistence is vital, as China's influence in these regions grows.
The concept of the Southern world (also known as the global South) is understood to refer to developing countries, mainly Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia (except Japan, Korea, Israel) and Oceania (except Australia and New Zealand).
Geopolitical arena
Kyodo News reported that Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru recently welcomed leaders of more than 40 African countries to the 9th Tokyo International Summit on African Development (TICAD9), which took place in Yokohama from August 20 to 22. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited Japan from August 29 to 30.
Observers note that the meetings are taking place in a context where both India, as the leader of the global South, and the black continent have become tense geopolitical arenas. Developing countries are increasingly asserting their positions with strong development and spreading their influence in multilateral organizations. Not stopping there, in some cases, they have also established counter-balancing frameworks, and received the attraction of some parties such as China.
"The relative influence of Japanese aid is increasing, even though the absolute value may be the same or lower than in previous years," The Straits Times quoted Dr. Satoru Nagao, an expert at the Hudson Institute (USA). Expert Nagao pointed out that the Tokyo government has not forgotten that the rules-based order ultimately depends on who sets the rules. "And the southern world is currently the strategic arena of that competition," according to Mr. Nagao.
Soft power and Japanese trust
Analysts say that Japan possesses an abundance of soft power and global trust, thanks to decades of sustained cooperation with the global South and, more recently, Tokyo's diplomacy that emphasizes "humility." That strength has become a vital factor for Japan, as China seeks to expand its influence to reshape the traditional order in the region.
For their part, the global South is not seeking to separate from the West, but is simply looking for better alternatives, according to Asuka Tatebayashi, senior analyst at Mizuho Bank (Japan).
Understanding this sentiment, Japan is adapting by offering more attractive options: shifting from official development assistance (ODA) to promoting private sector participation and skills transfer. Tokyo is also putting people at the center, focusing on clear commitments to creating jobs and promoting professional training for the global South.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
