Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Talks International Relations, Security, Trade at Harvard Worldwide Week

Koji Tomita, Japanese ambassador to the United States, discussed U.S.-Japan collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region at a Wednesday afternoon talk at Harvard’s Center for Government and International Studies South.

Hosted by the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, the event was moderated by Christina L. Davis ’93, a Harvard Government professor and the program’s director.

The event took place as part of Harvard Worldwide Week, a showcase organized by the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs that aims to highlight the global reach of the University’s schools, research centers, and student organizations.

During the talk, titled, “U.S.-Japan Cooperation and the Future of the Indo-Pacific,” Tomita and Davis discussed Japanese diplomatic relations with China, the U.S., and South Korea as well as international trade.

According to Tomita, Japan’s alliances with South Korea and the U.S. currently “underpin the peace and stability” of East Asia. The trilateral relations are expanding, particularly in response to security concerns in the region, Tomita said, citing the example of nations “sharing the data” about North Korean missile launches.

Developing “a habit of dialogue among the three parties” could help build “a very important foundation” for further progress and collaboration, Tomita added.

Tomita also said Japan is “stepping up” efforts to foster a “community of nations sharing values and principles.”

Davis said apprehension over China’s presence in the region is another reason for tightened U.S.-Japan-South Korea relations.

“One concern in international relations is always the strengthening of relations with one group can cause fear among others,” Davis said.

Japan, in particular, has faced new trade restrictions on seafood exports to China after discharging wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.

“There will be speed humps from time to time and, for the time being, we are having some difficult conversations about the discharge of treated water from Fukushima nuclear plant,” Tomita said. “I think that should not be in the way of our efforts to build constructive and stable relations.”

Despite some tensions, Tomita said he hopes China will contribute positively to global issues, adding that “China has indicated they’re prepared” to “resuscitate” dialogue with Japan and South Korea that halted in part due to the pandemic.

In September, the three nations agreed to hold their first summit since 2019.

“China is not the one-dimensional military power that the Soviet Union used to be,” Tomita said. “The second largest economy deeply integrated in the global economy, they are in a position to make a positive contribution for the resolution of many global issues like climate change.”

On the topic of heightened tensions between U.S.-China trade relations, Tomita said “public confidence in free trading has eroded,” and it is insufficient to “simply repeat a mantra of free trade.”

“We need to make efforts to regain public confidence in trade, which involves trying to find solutions to certain aspects of people’s concern about the existing trading system,” Tomita added.

Still, Davis commented on Japan’s impressive transformation from the 1980s, noting that the country was initially “the last to sign up for liberalizing trade” and is now “the first to push forward trade agreements.”

“We have a lot on our trade plate,” Tomita said. “So, we look forward to deepened conversation with the American friends.”

—Staff writer Alex Chou can be reached at alex.chou@thecrimson.com.