Towards an open, secure and rules-based maritime order in Asia.

Water is the dominant geographic feature in Asia, covering nearly 60 percent of its area. From the South China Sea to the Malacca Strait, and from the Sea of Japan to the Gulf of Thailand, the maritime realm is central to the economic, political and security affairs of the region. Asia Maritime Index is a project of Tokyo International University’s Maritime Security Lab and funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) / 日本学術振興会.

Research

In-depth, policy-driven research on maritime security issues in Asia.

Issues and Insights Volume 24, SR3 – Nuclear weapons and related security issues in Southeast Asia: Understanding regional views and preferences
Dr. Jeffrey Ordaniel and Carl Baker for Pacific Forum

Southeast Asian states have yet to connect China’s rapid nuclear weapons expansion to their own national security. Two factors account for this.…

Enhancing the Cooperation between the US and Its Allies in the Mekong Subregion
Sach Nguyen, IFPSS - DAV, for Pacific Forum

The Mekong subregion is experiencing heightened geopolitical competition between the US and China, representing a clash between the international…

Encounters and Escalation in the Indo-Pacific Perspectives on China’s Military and Implications for Regional Security
Edited by Oriana Skylar Mastro, for the National Bureau of National Research

China’s military modernization, coupled with increasingly assertive behavior, has led to more frequent and dangerous encounters between the PLA and…

U.S. Naval Presence Needed in Sea of Japan to Strengthen Deterrence Against Chinese Aggression
Bruce Klingner for The Heritage Foundation

To counter China’s growing military threat and coercive tactics, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has increased Japan’s diplomatic, economic, and…

Curated Analyses

Submitted policy briefs and opinion editorials, and curated analytical pieces from various sources.