Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made a strong diplomatic debut, aiming for a Japanese diplomacy that flourishes on the world stage through soft power. Akihiko Tanaka argues that beyond military and economic hard power, knowledge and empathy are crucial. This approach leverages Japan's latent strengths, seen in JICA programs and cultural exports like anime.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who recently took office, has made a good diplomatic debut. She took her first solid step at summits associated with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Shortly after, she held a Japan-U.S. summit with President Donald Trump, inheriting the good relationship between the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the U.S. leader.
To deliver on her policy goal of a “Japanese diplomacy that flourishes on the world’s center stage,” Takaichi will have to mobilize “the latent power and vitality of Japan and the Japanese people.” In the current world, raw power prevails. In Gaza, the Islamist group Hamas accepted a ceasefire after being weakened by Israel's destructive offensive, despite global condemnation for violating international humanitarian law. The conflict began with Hamas' surprise attack on Israel, killing many Israelis and taking hostages.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs exercise power through economic transactions, threatening damage to change behavior. China has imposed economic sanctions on inconvenient policies. Ukraine defends militarily against Russia's invasion, with supporters like Japan applying economic sanctions.
In an unstable security environment, enhancing defense capabilities and deterrence is essential to prevent attacks. Deterrence discourages attacks by showing potential damage outweighs gains. Takaichi’s instructions to strengthen defenses align with this. However, Abe’s diplomacy was highly regarded not for raw power. Power, broadly, is the ability to achieve desired results, not just through intimidation.
Countries seek not only narrow security but also economic development, population well-being, and disaster prevention. Japan has a strong global reputation for contributions beyond security, via official development assistance (ODA) including yen loans and grants. It has supported transportation, water supply, sewage, medical care, and education infrastructure worldwide, aiding economic and social development and benefiting Japanese companies with expanded markets.
This uses economic hard power constructively, not punitively. Soft power, coined by Harvard's Joseph Nye who passed away early this year, operates through knowledge and empathy. Knowledge-based power is persuasion: explaining reality, like Abe convincing Trump of the vital Japan-U.S. economic ties.
Japan is expected to coordinate in global health, plastic pollution, land mine bans, critical data, and AI regulation, providing knowledge for solutions. Sharing practices like kaizen—continuous improvement—teaches 'how to fish' rather than just giving fish.
Empathy-based power builds solidarity. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteers have fostered affinity worldwide through support activities, sharing skills and know-how with local communities. Cultural exports like anime and athletes such as Shohei Ohtani also contribute. Japan's steady contributions to global development via knowledge and empathy, beyond mere financial aid, have significant impact.
In a divided international community with geopolitical confrontations, Japan must recognize and exercise its “latent power” for a flourishing diplomacy.
Akihiko Tanaka is president of JICA since April 2022 (second term; first from 2012-2015). He was vice president of the University of Tokyo (2009-2012) and president of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (2017-March 2024). The original Japanese article appeared in the Nov. 2 issue of The Yomiuri Shimbun.