Japanese PM vows to expand security role in Asia

Standing up for the region: Kishida (right) inspecting the guard of honour with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a state visit to the Istana in Singapore. — AFP

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to expand his country’s diplomatic and security role in Asia as he outlined his vision for an open, free and peaceful Indo-Pacific region at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Japan is committed to “realism diplomacy for a new era”, in which Tokyo “will be more proactive than ever in tackling the challenges and crises that face Japan, Asia and the world”, Kishida told some 500 defence ministers, senior officials and prominent scholars from 42 countries gathered to attend Asia’s top security summit at the Shangri-La hotel in downtown Orchard Road on Friday evening.