Japan's Strategic Shift in the Pacific Region: A case study of "Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting"

This paper analyzes the evolution of Japan’s regional strategy toward the Pacific Island Countries (PICs). In the early period, Japan formed relationships with PICs primarily through economic assistance, to maintain access to fisheries resources and fishing rights. Since the 1990s, Japan aimed to strengthen its relations with the PICs to support its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and to counterbalance the diminishing influence of major powers in the region. This effort was institutionalized with the launch of the “Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM)” in 1997.In the 2010s, PALM shifted focus from economic issues to maritime security amid growing competition with China, which expanded its economic and political influence in the region through the Belt and Road Initiative. In response, Japan incorporated the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” into PALM, promoting maritime connectivity and the rule of law. Additionally, Japan strategized Official Development Assistance to bolster law enforcement capabilities in the region. This paper concludes that Japan’s comprehensive approach toward PICs reflects a multi-dimensional and proactive effort to enhance its presence in the Pacific region.