be Shinzo was arguably the most impactful, transformative, and visionary democratic leader of the last decade. He comprehended the full measure of the threat posed by an aggressive autocratic China and the need for democratic alliances to repel its hegemonic ambitions. In response to China’s aggression, he articulated a vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), energized the Quad— the United States, Australia, India and Japan— to advance FOIP, and ensured that the Trans-Pacific Partnership endured after the United States pulled out. He advanced the U.S.-Japanese alliance to unprecedented heights such that it became the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Of all of Abe’s transformative achievements, his greatest legacy is to articulate and rally the region towards the goal of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific—a region of free people and open commerce. He first introduced the concept in an address to the Indian Parliament and continued to hone his message through extensive engagement with ASEAN and other Indo-Pacific nations. Regional leaders and the populace are intuitively more amenable to being free and open than to western calls for democracy, rule of law, and human rights. The United States had the good sense to adopt Abe’s FOIP vision and support this effort.
The Free and Open Indo-Pacific is Asia’s rallying cry for a rules-based world order. If the 21st Century is to be an Asian Century, then FOIP is its most pertinent organizing principle. FOIP represents the frontlines of the battle between democracy and autocracy and the best antidote to communism with Chinese characteristics is democracy with Asian characteristics. FOIP embodies and personifies the myriad regional and geopolitical currents of the 21st century. There is no more urgent mission for the Quad and the Free World than to advance a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. Specifically, this will require a consequential and far-sighted effort to fortify the emotive and ideological foundations of FOIP among Indo-Pacific youth—ensuring a commitment to freedom and openness permeates and permutates throughout the region.
One way that this ideal can be advanced is if Japan, working with the Quad nations, launches a FOIP Scholarship in the name of its visionary leader Abe. The Abe Shinzo Scholarship for a Free & Open Indo-Pacific could learn from and improve upon the U.S. Fulbright Scholarship program. The Abe FOIP Scholarship, true to his legacy, should be a Quad undertaking—all four nations should commit resources to it and engage in its administration through coordination across their foreign offices and select academic institutions. The Abe FOIP Scholarship should incorporate the nascent Quad Fellowship and substantially expand its scope and impact to answer the call of the times.
Abe FOIP Scholars may initially be drawn from the Indo-Pacific region ranging across the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. Incoming scholars could divide their annual fellowship in equal parts among the Quad nations and outgoing scholars would be required to complete orientation among Quad nations prior to deploying to their host Indo-Pacific nation. In time, the Abe FOIP Scholarship could match and exceed the scope and effect of the Fulbright Scholarship and forge global partnerships across the free world.
The Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision is much larger than freedom of navigation or regional trade and security arrangements. FOIP stands for the spirit of liberty against tyranny—as a confident and organic idea of being free and open in contrast to the closed servility of communist autocracy. Instilling the values of FOIP across the Indo-Pacific holds the promise to make the region impregnable to Chinese communism. An Abe FOIP Scholarship of requisite scale and scope is critical to fostering this commitment across the Indo-Pacific. For the Quad’s and the region’s security and prosperity, leaders should embrace Abe’s legacy—the spirit of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific—and ensure it never leaves the hearts of the men and women of the Indo-Pacific. The Abe FOIP Scholarship represents a small step of momentous promise to that end.
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Enshrining Abe Shinzo’s Vision of a Free & Open Indo-Pacific
Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan speaking during the Session "Special Address by Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan" at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 23, 2019 - Congress Hall. Copyright by World Economic Forum / Manuel Lopez.
July 12, 2022
A titan of the Indo-Pacific has departed the stage—Prime Minister Abe Shinzo will be remembered as an Asian trailblazer for the Asian Century. It is now up to others to advance his vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and fellowships in his name are a key next step writes Kaush Arha.
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be Shinzo was arguably the most impactful, transformative, and visionary democratic leader of the last decade. He comprehended the full measure of the threat posed by an aggressive autocratic China and the need for democratic alliances to repel its hegemonic ambitions. In response to China’s aggression, he articulated a vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), energized the Quad— the United States, Australia, India and Japan— to advance FOIP, and ensured that the Trans-Pacific Partnership endured after the United States pulled out. He advanced the U.S.-Japanese alliance to unprecedented heights such that it became the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Of all of Abe’s transformative achievements, his greatest legacy is to articulate and rally the region towards the goal of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific—a region of free people and open commerce. He first introduced the concept in an address to the Indian Parliament and continued to hone his message through extensive engagement with ASEAN and other Indo-Pacific nations. Regional leaders and the populace are intuitively more amenable to being free and open than to western calls for democracy, rule of law, and human rights. The United States had the good sense to adopt Abe’s FOIP vision and support this effort.
The Free and Open Indo-Pacific is Asia’s rallying cry for a rules-based world order. If the 21st Century is to be an Asian Century, then FOIP is its most pertinent organizing principle. FOIP represents the frontlines of the battle between democracy and autocracy and the best antidote to communism with Chinese characteristics is democracy with Asian characteristics. FOIP embodies and personifies the myriad regional and geopolitical currents of the 21st century. There is no more urgent mission for the Quad and the Free World than to advance a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. Specifically, this will require a consequential and far-sighted effort to fortify the emotive and ideological foundations of FOIP among Indo-Pacific youth—ensuring a commitment to freedom and openness permeates and permutates throughout the region.
One way that this ideal can be advanced is if Japan, working with the Quad nations, launches a FOIP Scholarship in the name of its visionary leader Abe. The Abe Shinzo Scholarship for a Free & Open Indo-Pacific could learn from and improve upon the U.S. Fulbright Scholarship program. The Abe FOIP Scholarship, true to his legacy, should be a Quad undertaking—all four nations should commit resources to it and engage in its administration through coordination across their foreign offices and select academic institutions. The Abe FOIP Scholarship should incorporate the nascent Quad Fellowship and substantially expand its scope and impact to answer the call of the times.
Abe FOIP Scholars may initially be drawn from the Indo-Pacific region ranging across the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. Incoming scholars could divide their annual fellowship in equal parts among the Quad nations and outgoing scholars would be required to complete orientation among Quad nations prior to deploying to their host Indo-Pacific nation. In time, the Abe FOIP Scholarship could match and exceed the scope and effect of the Fulbright Scholarship and forge global partnerships across the free world.
The Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision is much larger than freedom of navigation or regional trade and security arrangements. FOIP stands for the spirit of liberty against tyranny—as a confident and organic idea of being free and open in contrast to the closed servility of communist autocracy. Instilling the values of FOIP across the Indo-Pacific holds the promise to make the region impregnable to Chinese communism. An Abe FOIP Scholarship of requisite scale and scope is critical to fostering this commitment across the Indo-Pacific. For the Quad’s and the region’s security and prosperity, leaders should embrace Abe’s legacy—the spirit of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific—and ensure it never leaves the hearts of the men and women of the Indo-Pacific. The Abe FOIP Scholarship represents a small step of momentous promise to that end.
