As the world grapples with global challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, disarmament and nonproliferation, and growing threats to rules-based international order, Japan has been seeking to take a leadership role on the international stage. Dr Vannarith Chheang, president at the Asian Vision Institute (AVI), and Nicholas Fang, director for security and global affairs at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, speak about Japan’s role in Southeast Asia and the international community, and what is expected from the world’s third largest economy.