Kishida government facing uphill task in Southeast Asia

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa is reportedly considering a visit to Cambodia to confirm the progress of bilateral cooperation, in early July.

Despite the bubble bursting, Japan has generally maintained close economic, infrastructure, and bilateral exchange development with Southeast Asian countries.

In recent years, China's rise poses a challenge to Japan's traditional advantages in Southeast Asia. China has already undertaken key projects through its Belt and Road Initiative, including the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Cambodia's first highway. Construction is also underway on a second expressway connecting Phnom Penh with the Cambodian-Vietnamese border city of Bavet, with an investment of $1.35 billion.

Japan remains a significant participant in Cambodia's infrastructure investment. Since 1994, Cambodia has carried out 210 Japanese investment projects totaling $3.1 billion. In 2022, bilateral trade between Japan and Cambodia reached $1.95 billion. Expanding the Southeast Asian market has been a consistent national policy for Japan since the 1960s.

Through Yoko Kamikawa's planned visits, Japan's intention of strengthening its economic existence in Cambodia and the whole of Southeast Asia is clear. However, it might not be so easy to fulfill that.

Recent polls show the approval rating of the Fumio Kishida government has dropped to 16.5 percent, and the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party is also experiencing instability. If Japan spends lavishly on Cambodian infrastructure projects, it could provoke greater dissatisfaction at home.

When US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was visiting Cambodia, it was made clear to him that Cambodia would not take sides between China and the US, but would simultaneously develop friendly relations with all countries. Obviously, this principle will also apply to the China-Japan-Cambodia triangle.

-Beijing News