ASEAN’s Autonomy Push in 2026: Why Japan’s Capacity-Building Agenda Matters Amid U.S.-China Tensions
The 2026 ISEAS survey data cited by The Diplomat suggests ASEAN is increasingly unwilling to rely on either China or the United States, favoring greater resilience and unity to protect regional autonomy. Japan is positioned as a key enabler through practical institutional support that also advances Japanese economic interests by stabilizing trade, compliance, and supply-chain conditions.