Takaichi is recasting Japan’s relationship with ASEAN from one of development partnership to one of security cooperation.

At the ASEAN summit, which served as her diplomatic debut, Japan’s new Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae pledged to reposition the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy toward its realization. But behind her promise of continuity lies the potential for transformation: Japan’s identity as an aid power is fading.

Even in times of economic decline, Japan continued to uphold foreign assistance and aid as a pillar of its foreign policy. From Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru’s “International Cooperative Initiative” to Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s “Development Cooperation Charter,” each plan has highlighted Official Development Assistance (ODA) as a vital tool for Japanese foreign policy. However, as Japan aims to bolster its diplomatic might within an increasingly hostile world, the Japanese commitment to development aid is waning.

As Takaichi sets Japan’s course amid heightened Indo-Pacific tensions, her policies could redefine Japan’s diplomatic identity. Since forming her cabinet on October 21, Takaichi has adopted Abe’s hawkish stance on security within FOIP, seeking to enact her foreign ambitions. Despite her rhetorical continuity with previous leaders, Takaichi’s hawkish foreign policy marks the