In many ways Japan is the perpetual potential partner for Southeast Asia. A relatively close economic relationship exists, and Japan has expressed a voice of partnership or leadership at various times in the past several decades. And yet neither the economic nor the strategic relationship is as strong as might be imagined given Japan’s geographical proximity and the strength of economic ties. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in office since the beginning of 2013, has made a concerted effort to raise Japan’s profile in the region as a strategic partner, driven by a desire to oppose China’s aggressive position on various territorial disputes it has with Japan and ASEAN. His policies appear to fundamentally alter and strengthen Japan’s relationship with the region. Nonetheless, what he can accomplish remains constrained by domestic and international factors, and his approach may not outlast his term as prime minister.