Japan's $75 Billion Investment Plan to Boost Indo-Pacific Presence and Counter China

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a plan to invest $75 billion in the Indo-Pacific region by 2030 to promote an open and free Indo-Pacific, seen as Tokyo's bid to forge stronger ties with countries in South and Southeast Asia to counter China's growing assertiveness there. The plan has four pillars: maintaining peace, dealing with new global issues, achieving global connectivity, and ensuring the safety of the open seas and skies. Japan will conduct joint maritime exercises with India and the United States, as well as goodwill exercises with ASEAN and the Pacific Islands.