Growing Vietnam ties test Japan’s commitment to rules-based regional order

Japan's growing strategic partnership with Vietnam is putting Tokyo's commitment to a rules-based regional order under scrutiny, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces calls to press Hanoi over its failure to honour labour rights commitments.

The issue is expected to surface during Vietnamese President To Lam's four-day visit to Tokyo from Sunday, raising questions about how far Japan is prepared to defend the principles underpinning a major Pacific trade agreement when its economic and security interests are at stake.

The Tokyo office of Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Takaichi to confront Lam over Vietnam's failure to deliver promised labour reforms, but analysts say Tokyo is unlikely to jeopardise a growing partnership with a country that shares its concerns about China's increasingly assertive maritime activities.