Japan’s Role and Presence in the Changing Geopolitics of the Pacific Islands Region

ABSTRACT Owing to China’s increasing influence, the complex geopolitics of the Pacific Islands has become a threat to the strategic superiority of Western democratic countries. The diplomatic policies of the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan toward Pacific Island countries (PICs) stand at a critical juncture, prompting the review of current policy approaches and introduction of new ones. This study suggests an approach that Japan could employ to increase its presence, through an evaluation of Pacific Leaders’ Educational Assistance for Development of State (Pacific-LEADS), a scholarship programme expected to contribute to PICs’ economic growth, strengthen existing ties, and increase Japan’s presence in the region. This evaluation is based on interviews and surveys conducted in Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu in 2019 and 2020. Insufficient communication and poor understanding of PICs, the primary factors limiting the programme’s effectiveness, are attributed to a policy design approach grounded in the donor–recipient relationship. Japan may need to use a new approach that emphasises the promotion of substantial equal partnerships.