Japan

Economic diplomacy: Friends, rivals and diplomatic gaslighting
Economic diplomacy: Friends, rivals and diplomatic gaslighting
Hitting the gas Japan’s ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami made himself an unexpectedly public figure in the reserved Canberra diplomatic corps with his witty social media…
Quad should ask ASEAN to a diplomatic dance
Quad should ask ASEAN to a diplomatic dance
In early 1979, fearing the growing security cooperation between Hanoi and Moscow, China invaded Vietnam. A year earlier, the then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping met Singapore’s…
China is its own worst enemy
China is its own worst enemy
On 3 April, the Philippines government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr formally unveiled four additional locations where US forces will be permitted to operate. Two of those…
To help end war in Ukraine, the Quad should back India to engage Russia
To help end war in Ukraine, the Quad should back India to engage Russia
India has grown a reputation as a “global swing state”, an old term that has taken on a new resonance in the context of New Delhi’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. …
What the Quad could learn from AUKUS
What the Quad could learn from AUKUS
The latest AUKUS announcement ignited a furious debate. How should we weigh the risks and rewards of the plan for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines? Critics, from…
Japan feels the pinch as fertiliser costs soar thanks to Russia’s war
Japan feels the pinch as fertiliser costs soar thanks to Russia’s war
For many countries, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had a grave impact on food costs and availability. Grain export bans and pipeline shutdowns by Russia have resulted in a sharp…
This year, India leads the G20, Japan the G7, and together can make a potent team
This year, India leads the G20, Japan the G7, and together can make a potent team
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has declared India as “indispensable” to the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. This echoes former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s…
Japan seeks an improved climate in relations with ASEAN
Japan seeks an improved climate in relations with ASEAN
Japan has long been among ASEAN’s “most trusted” economic partners. Through tactful engagement, Tokyo helped ensure Southeast Asian states remained in the Trans-Pacific…
Japan and South Korea: a logical but uneasy alignment
Japan and South Korea: a logical but uneasy alignment
This month, Japan and South Korea struck a deal on the compensation of Korean labour imposed by the Japanese empire during Tokyo’s 1910–45 rule over the Korean Peninsula. The…
The big picture: five lessons for five years of the Asia Power Index
The big picture: five lessons for five years of the Asia Power Index
This morning we released the 2023 edition of the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index. This data-driven assessment measures national resources and international influence to determine…