Japan, U.S. canvass support at ASEAN over S. China Sea

VIENTIANE — A sense of disappointment spread within the Japanese government as a foreign ministers’ meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations avoided mentioning a recent court of arbitration ruling in its joint statement issued Monday.

At the Japan-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting, which started shortly after noon on Monday, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said that a peaceful resolution should be pursued over disputes in the South China Sea by complying with international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. He stressed the need for ASEAN countries to call on China to abide by the ruling.

No objection was expressed by ASEAN countries, and some countries even sided with Kishida and expressed support for the ruling.

However, the content of the statement had apparently already been decided by then — it was announced around the start of the meeting.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting was held Monday evening. Japan and the United States thus ended up falling behind China in obtaining support, with China trying to split ASEAN countries.

Along with the United States, Japan has been trying to establish an international coalition to call on China to respect the court of arbitration ruling by cooperating with countries that respect the rule of law and international order.

Japan is unwilling to change its stance of strengthenimg pressure on China, buoyed by the court of arbitration ruling.

On Tuesday at the ASEAN Regional Forum, which brings ASEAN countries together with Japan, the United States, China and other countries, Japan was set to again call on China to abide by the ruling and show support for the Philippines and Vietnam, both of which have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

There will be a series of international summit meetings from autumn, including the Group of 20 meeting to be held in China in September, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting to be held in Peru in November.

The Japanese government, cooperating with the United States and European countries, intends to continue calling on China to comply with international law and stop building mili-tary bases in the South China Sea.Speech