By Neelam Rahim

This week’s discussion on the Asia Pacific Report with Radio Islam International, Senior Research Fellow at Institute for Global Dialogue, Sanusha Naidu, covers the Tacad 8 summit, which took place in Japan. And the reasons behind China and India spar over Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port.

More than half of Japanese firms in Russia ignore calls to withdraw over the two distant Ukraine wars.

According to Sanusha, the Japanese have officially said that they don’t think the Ukraine war has affected them. They argue that pulling out of Russia could heighten tensions and increase job losses in their sector.

Japan is to push for an African seat on the UN Security Council, according to the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, at the Ticad 8 summit.

Sanusha said this happened over the weekend and at Japan’s summit with African countries. It was decided that Japan would place a very critical space in terms of pushing for Africa to have a seat on the Security Council.

The Japanese Prime Minister said they would push for this seat in the Security Council to reform global governance. They have also pledged more than 30 billion US dollars in various packages and pledges to support Africa’s infrastructure, food security, commercial development, and assistance.

Sanusha tells Radio Islam the Ticad 8 summit was a reaffirming of Japan’s relationship with Africa but also reaffirmed Japan’s footprint in Africa.

Meanwhile, India and China spar over the controversial ship call in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port. Sanusha said several days ago. A ship from China based on scientific research wanted to dock at the Hambantota Port.

The port has been very controversial because it has allegedly created a death trap as it forms part of China’s funding to Sri Lanka in terms of the Belt and Road initiative.

However, India has opposed the ship docking at the port and said that the ship represents a political and economic security risk in the region. Sanusha said this results from the tensions between New Delhi and Beijing for the longest time.

The Chinese stated this concern of India is not about security but rather about trying to impose on the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

Listen to the Asia Pacific Report on Radio Islam’s podcast below.