Japan Assists Malaysia with Maritime Security
Japan and Malaysia have signed an assistance deal that includes a $2.8 million grant to boost Malaysia’s maritime security as Indo-Pacific nations seek to counter an increasingly assertive People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Japan will provide equipment such as rescue boats and supplies under the agreement, signed by the countries’ foreign ministers in December 2023 on the sidelines of a Tokyo summit marking 50 years of ties between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Malaysia is a founding member.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed the elevation of the Japan-Malaysia relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.
In addition to Malaysia, ASEAN members Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam have South China Sea territorial claims disputed by the PRC. Beijing claims most of the sea, which is a conduit for more than $3 trillion of commerce annually. An international tribunal in 2016 said the PRC had no legal basis for its claims.
PRC military vessels also have intruded in waters around the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, according to Japanese officials.
Japan’s assistance to Malaysia follows similar agreements with Bangladesh and the Philippines as part of Tokyo’s initiative to help developing countries bolster their defenses. Reuters
