Japan

Olympic glory: Tokyo’s success is a win for Beijing
Olympic glory: Tokyo’s success is a win for Beijing
As the excitement of Euro 2020 fades into the football world’s collective memory, another international sporting event rapidly approaches. The Tokyo Olympics, after being in doubt…
Economic diplomacy: Supply chains, ASEAN wanes, and Japan’s coal dump
Economic diplomacy: Supply chains, ASEAN wanes, and Japan’s coal dump
Two worlds When the US and Japan kicked off a bid to take control of the next generation of mobile technology during a summit of their leaders last week, they also pushed the…
Toxic reaction to Japan’s Fukushima water dump
Toxic reaction to Japan’s Fukushima water dump
The Netflix documentary “Seaspiracy” caused a stir following its release last month, both for highlighting the serious damage human activities are causing the world’s oceans –…
The Quad (finally) delivers: Can it be sustained?
The Quad (finally) delivers: Can it be sustained?
On 19 March, the leaders of four important democracies of the Indo-Pacific region – the United States, Japan, Australia and India – held (virtually) their first-ever “Quad Summit…
Legalising same-sex marriage in Japan
Legalising same-sex marriage in Japan
Last month, a Japanese district court for the first time ruled that not allowing same-sex couples to marry is unconstitutional. The verdict by the Sapporo District Court was a…
The Quad gives a boost to India’s vaccine diplomacy
The Quad gives a boost to India’s vaccine diplomacy
The most notable takeaway from the first-ever “Quad” leaders meeting involving the US, India, Japan and Australia at the weekend was the agreement on expanding the global vaccine…
A new “concert” to govern the Indo-Pacific
A new “concert” to govern the Indo-Pacific
The joint statement issued following the weekend meeting of the four “Quad” leaders was titled “The Spirit of the Quad”. This title could be read as either self-affirmation or…
History haunts Japan–South Korea ties
History haunts Japan–South Korea ties
The Seoul Central District Court last month delivered a verdict requiring the Japanese government to pay $US91,000 to 12 former “comfort women” who endured sexual slavery during…
Using the Australian Open as a Tokyo test run
Using the Australian Open as a Tokyo test run
Focus on the upcoming Australian Open tennis tournament these last few weeks in the local media has been intense. Still, it’s possible that Olympics officials in Japan are…
Japan under Suga: The delicate balancing act
Japan under Suga: The delicate balancing act
The calm but staunch assertion by China’s Defence Minister Wei Fenghe last month that the Japan-administered islands in the East China Sea belong to China is…