Japan Wary of ASEAN Members Shifting Away from U.S.; Ishiba Hopes to Limit Spread of China’s Economic Influence

By Masashi Yamaguchi/Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

20:05 JST, April 30, 2025

MANILA — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba chose Vietnam and the Philippines as the destinations for his third trip to Southeast Asia, prompted by concerns that the tariff measures of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration may fuel distrust toward the United States in emerging and developing countries.

The Japanese government hopes to show members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that Japan is standing by them, as well as dissuade them from distancing themselves from the United States and stem the expansion of Chinese influence in the region.

“I want to listen to the Philippines and come up with better solutions,” Ishiba said at a joint press conference with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday.

This was the same expression he used in reference to Vietnam during his visit the previous day. In his remarks on the U.S. tariff measures, he stressed Japan’s commitment to stand by emerging and developing countries, which are facing strong blows to their economies.

Ishiba reportedly told Marcos that Japan would strengthen economic support in the areas of telecommunications and disaster prevention.

“Japan will utilize its experience and strengths to help the Philippines gain an upper-middle-income status,” Ishiba reportedly said.

Japan and the Philippines, both U.S. allies, have drastically deepened cooperation in defense, in consideration of a possible contingency involving Taiwan, which is located north of the Philippines. At the meeting, the two countries confirmed measures for collaboration toward forming a “quasi-alliance” and the deepening of the cooperation between the two nations and the United States.

Japan wants to placate fears that efforts for the quasi-alliance would stagnate under the influence of Trump, who has repeatedly made disrespectful comments about it.

ASEAN is centered on the South China Sea, which is a strategic area for international maritime transport. Japan, which depends on foreign countries for most of its energy, places great importance on peace and stability in the region and has deepened solidarity with it under the banner of “a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law.”

Within a month of Ishiba becoming prime minister in October, he visited Laos. He then traveled to Malaysia and Indonesia in January. In his first six months, Ishiba has visited five of the 10 ASEAN member countries.

Early in May, Ishiba will dispatch former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Indonesia and Malaysia as a special envoy.

During his first administration, Trump was absent from ASEAN-related summits for four consecutive years, which made clear that U.S. influence would decline in the region. Through his “reciprocal tariffs” on countries in the region of up to 49%, he has also poured cold water on their economic growth. Ishiba’s frequent visits to ASEAN members are intended “to calm down the ‘waves’ caused by the United States,” according to a Foreign Ministry official.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his visit to Vietnam in mid-April, called for a unified campaign against the United States, saying, “Let’s oppose unilateral bullying and protect the free trade system.”

Japan and the United States have often criticized China’s economic coercion and unilateral changes in the status quo through force. It is clear that Xi intends to counter this and divide ASEAN and the United States by portraying itself as a “defender” of free trade.

During Ishiba’s visits to Vietnam and the Philippines, Ishiba avoided expressing criticism or concern about the United States. When referring to the tariff issue, he made sure to also mention China’s retaliatory tariffs.

“If we isolate the United States, we’ll only make China and Russia happy,” he reportedly told people close to him. He is taking great care not to play into China’s hands.

ASEAN is also wary that the balance of power between the United States and China may suddenly shift to China’s advantage.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took time on April 16, during Xi’s visit to his country, to hold a telephone conversation with Ishiba to discuss tariff issues. The prime minister has been working hard to conduct sophisticated diplomacy to ease distrust toward the United States while keeping close contact with the countries caught in the middle of U.S.-China tensions, as well as to promote bilateral tariff negotiations with the United States on a fair and equitable basis.