Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has made a number of trips around the world lately trying to strengthen ties with other countries, an article published Der Tagesspiegel says.
This activity is not typical of the Japanese leadership. Therefore, Kishida's recent travel record clearly indicates Tokyo's concerns.
"Nervous over the Sino-Russian pact: how Japan is looking for partners around the world. The Japanese Prime Minister has built so many important contacts within one week that he has never built in years. All this against the background of Xi and Putin pledging allegiance in Moscow," the article in Der Tagesspiegel said.
Of course, the authors of the article in the German publication could not but be over dramatic to attract readers attention.
In India, during his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Fumio Kishida tried to garner support to further strengthen military, diplomatic and economic ties. At the same time, the Japanese prime minister has little chance of setting India against Russia, Der Tagesspiegel notes.
At a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Kishida also advocated a military and economic rapprochement between Japan and Germany. The two countries may hold joint military exercises as early as next year.
It was no coincidence that the Japanese prime minister went to Kyiv at a time when the Chinese president was visiting Moscow, the article in the German publication also noted.
Yet, it was the summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol that became the most striking manifestation of Tokyo's concerns.
Against the backdrop of China's growing alliance with Russia, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida is trying to win support even from those states that have a long-standing animosity towards Japan. South Korea is one of those countries.
It is Fumio Kishida who will be the biggest winner if rapprochement occurs, Der Tagesspiegel notes. After all, this will mean a significant step towards strengthening Japan's influence in Asia. Kishida wants to make his country a regional supremacist state in medium and long term.
Let us ask ourselves, though, why the German publication is talking about panic in Tokyo. This is a matter of strategy. However, it remains unknown whether Japan's strategy is going to work.