Japan sees Pakistan as an important country that has played a vital role in regional stability and seems committed to promoting peace amidst growing challenges.
These views were expressed by the division head at the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Japan Prof Masayuki Masuda at an international seminar titled ‘Pakistan-Japan relations in the context of prevailing regional and global changes.’
The event was organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).
NIDS Senior Fellow Masahiro Kurita also highlighted various dimensions of the regional changes and Pakistan’s growing geo-strategic importance in that context.
Prof Masayuki Masuda suggested that Pakistan and Japan, having both experienced significant human and economic losses due to conflicts and wars, were uniquely positioned to collaborate on promoting peace.
Prof.Masuda also stressed that Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” concept aimed to foster regional peace and prosperity, which aligns with Pakistan’s connectivity interests.
He called for increased cooperation in areas such as telecom, AI, and climate change, which would benefit both nations.
Speaking on the occasion, NIDS Senior Fellow Masahiro Kurita clarified that Japan’s growing cooperation with India, even within the QUAD framework, was primarily focused on political and economic cooperation, and should not impact Pakistan’s security concerns.
He acknowledged that perceptions of Pakistan were influenced by its deepening relationship with China, but emphasized Pakistan’s balanced approach, demonstrating its commitment to fostering broad international ties for enhanced connectivity.
President IRS, Amb Jauhar Saleem stated that Pakistan-Japan cooperation was a factor of stability at a time when great power competition was intensifying.
