Free, open Indo-Pacific key to stable world order, says Japanese state defence minister at WION Global Summit

A free and open Indo-Pacific is key to peace and stability for the world order, Japanese State Minister of Defence Nakayama Yasuhide told WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday while cautioning the world about the threat posed by China in the region.

The Indo-Pacific is a crucial route for the passage of oil from the Middle East to Japan and further into the Pacific Ocean, he noted.

The minister pointed out the growing Chinese military presence in the South China Sea, including its building of artificial islands in recent years.

He noted that the Chinese military budget is four times bigger than Japan, while the defence budget of Japan remained relatively unchanged over the decades.

Yasuhide also highlighted that China has submarines in the region, including nuclear-capable ones. If China fires its JL-2 or JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missiles from the South China Sea, it could reach the East Coast of the US, he warned, adding that Japan is very much worried about the missiles.

He also shared the threat posed by the Chinese missile range in the Gobi desert.

“Using military power to change power is not healthy. Free and open Indo-Pacific is very important...geopolitically,” he said.

“How to hedge the risk of World War-III is the theme for the next generation,” he said, adding that the way to that is “to unite, make friends.”

After COVID-19, democratic nations are partnering with each other. “I hope the world tries to understand the situation, what's going on now,” the minister said.