Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Tatsumi, your November 2023 article entitled “Japan's Indo-Pacific Strategy” compares the Japanese and American Indo-Pacific strategies. Whereas the U.S. strategy defines the United States as an Indo-Pacific power, Japan's strategy states that Japan and India should jointly lead the region in the era of the Indo-Pacific.
I have two questions. How does Japan view the role of the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific, and does this statement have echoes of Japan's hegemonic vision?