Japan

“Black ships”, the Quad and space
“Black ships”, the Quad and space
At the first in-person leaders’ summit of the Quad in Washington in September last year, the four member countries came forward with an ambitious space agenda. A working group was…
Albanese steps cautiously through the Quad wrangle
Albanese steps cautiously through the Quad wrangle
The staff at the neighbourhood convenience store here in Tokyo are always amused when I drop by to pick up four or five papers in the morning. That I have done it twice this week…
No Gas: Lessons from Poland and Bulgaria for the Quad
No Gas: Lessons from Poland and Bulgaria for the Quad
While Russia’s attempt to blackmail Poland and Bulgaria by cutting off natural gas supplies may seem a distant question for the nations of the Indo-Pacific, we believe it is…
AUKUS: More than meets the eye
AUKUS: More than meets the eye
The clear intention of AUKUS is to tip the military balance in the Indo-Pacific in favour of the United States. The various initiatives in the pact between Australia, the United…
How Japan can help nudge India away from Russia
How Japan can help nudge India away from Russia
Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio visited India last month ahead of a G7 summit. With India hesitant to criticise Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Japanese media speculated…
Does the Quad Plus add up?
Does the Quad Plus add up?
According to its members, the Quad – a group comprising the United States, Japan, India and Australia – seeks to present an inclusive vision for the Indo-Pacific region, and its…
Ukraine war triggers debate on Japan’s nuclear option
Ukraine war triggers debate on Japan’s nuclear option
In the wake of the Ukraine conflict, Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former prime minister and now head of the largest faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has suggested that…
Okinawa’s vocal anti-US military base movement
Okinawa’s vocal anti-US military base movement
In early January this year, US military bases in Okinawa, Japan, were again the subject of criticism after the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was detected among US base personnel and…
Delivering promises will show steel in Quad
Delivering promises will show steel in Quad
The German naval chief, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach, lost his job during a visit to Delhi last month. During an interaction where he went woefully off-script, he urged the…
Australia–Japan defence cooperation in the grey zone
Australia–Japan defence cooperation in the grey zone
Over the last several years, the relationship with China has become increasingly awkward for both Australia and Japan. Other nations have also been similarly afflicted and…