11 May 2026
Foreign leaders given Australia’s parliamentary privilege
A look at who has stood in the chamber – and why it matters less than it seems.
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4 May 2026
“Why would Japan meet with a small country like Australia?”
Tokyo’s warming to Canberra tracks directly with its cooling on Beijing. -
28 Apr 2026
Japan is charting a new course for development – but looking in the wrong direction
Tokyo’s emergency energy package is nimble and generous, but locks in fossil fuel dependence at a cost to the region’s future. -
21 Apr 2026
Amending Australia’s export gas regime does not undermine gas for fuel negotiations
Japan’s diplomatic pushback on a gas export tax is predictable and should be read in context – existing supply contracts already neutralise the main risk. -
17 Apr 2026
Japan aims for a shipbuilding revival
A trillion yen and a bold production target won’t beat China – but Japan could matter where it counts for the US Navy. -
1 Apr 2026
America’s nuclear umbrella is fraying in the Indo-Pacific
With Washington’s Cold War deterrence logic no longer adequate, the region’s states are seeking alternatives. -
30 Mar 2026
As Prabowo arrives in Tokyo, Japan and Indonesia are building faster than they are thinking
The Tokyo–Jakarta partnership looks impressive but whether it holds is another question. -
19 Mar 2026
Japan’s bid to build a “de-Chinafied” rare earth supply system – with Australia and Brazil on-board
New agreements with Lynas and Brazil's Goiás state show Japan moving from supply anxiety to market architecture. -
19 Mar 2026
Japan is now the most trusted Asian power in Australia and New Zealand
As faith in China and the United States erodes, Japan has quietly become the partner of choice. -
17 Mar 2026
Behind Japan’s US investment pledge, a China problem
Structural economic forces – not solely US strong-arming – explain Japan’s growing interest in America. -
16 Mar 2026
Australia, Japan and New Zealand should double down on collaboration
Shared threats and defence priorities make a formal trilateral framework a logical next step. -
2 Mar 2026
Japanese investment in China keeps rising, despite political tensions
A decline in diplomatic relations masks a surge in Japan’s economic ties to China. -
17 Feb 2026
Can the Quad regain momentum after the India–US reset?
If Washington and New Delhi can compartmentalise their disagreements, the Quad becomes more predictable. -
16 Feb 2026
Indonesia–Australia Security Treaty: Middle powers choosing consultation over blocs
Regional states are furthering security ties to retain autonomy, not to balance a single adversary. -
11 Feb 2026
The power of surprise: How Takaichi’s snap election delivered a LDP landslide
Japan’s first post-war two-thirds majority was won by avoiding economic debate and overwhelming a fractured opposition. -
29 Jan 2026
Tokyo court finds North Korea’s “Paradise on Earth” survivors were misled
The ruling on mass repatriation of Koreans from Japan between 1959 and 1984 will have wide implications for Japan-North Korea relations. -
22 Jan 2026
Japan’s net zero bet needs an Australian hedge
Australia can offer Japan what it desperately needs to realise its energy ambitions. -
16 Jan 2026
How Western unity on Taliban Afghanistan is quietly fracturing
The closure of the former republic’s embassy in Japan shows allied democracies’ slow creep towards diplomatic fatigue. -
19 Dec 2025
Japan-Korea relations: Sanae's puzzling provocation
The new prime minister's claim over disputed islands was made with a domestic audience in mind. -
5 Dec 2025
Has the Second World War finally ended for Germany and Japan?
Doubts about US commitment are pushing Berlin and Tokyo toward military self-reliance they haven’t sought since 1945. -
4 Dec 2025
Japan’s analog bureaucracy holds back a digital economy
Obtaining a criminal-record check should be a simple task, yet in Japan reveals a state capacity problem. -
3 Dec 2025
Japan lost its climate leadership – and now Australia can help
Japan’s largest supplier of coal and LNG has just pledged to transition from fossil fuels – creating both tension and opportunity. -
27 Nov 2025
Don’t believe everything you read in the media about Japan’s strong anti-immigrant sentiment
Social pressure pushes people to sound tougher on immigrants than they feel. -
17 Nov 2025
The paradox of US military retrenchment in the Asia-Pacific
A partial retreat in the region could backfire, flaming tensions and emboldening China’s aggression. -
7 Nov 2025
Australia-Japan ties are about shaping outcomes, not hedging bets
With strong security ties, both countries can influence Washington’s strategy and constrain Beijing’s options. -
4 Nov 2025
With Sanae Takaichi, “Japan is back” is back
Coalition politics, tax resistance and ambitious defence spending goals will require the new PM to strike a fine balance. -
24 Oct 2025
Japan’s hawkish turn under Takaichi tests India’s balancing act
Security convergence with New Delhi looks set to deepen, but nationalist priorities in Tokyo may shift the tone of economic engagement. -
13 Oct 2025
Japan’s “Iron Lady” faces a fractured political landscape
Sanae Takaichi’s conservative agenda collides with the realities of coalition government and mounting economic pressures. -
13 Oct 2025
Why the US–Japan–South Korea trilateral agreement must evolve
History shows us that an adaptive coalition built on trust and interoperability can trump formal alliances. -
9 Oct 2025
Takaichi and Prabowo can redefine the Japan-Indonesia relationship
Tokyo’s conservative turn meets Jakarta’s military modernisation, transforming a development partnership into dual-track ties. -
6 Oct 2025
Can Japan’s first female PM escape the revolving door?
Sanae Takaichi must revive Japan’s economy, restore LDP credibility, and navigate great power tensions – all at once. -
22 Sep 2025
Complacent nation: Australia and the Asian Century
Decades of ambition have left us with a nation still unable to speak the language of our neighbours. -
9 Sep 2025
Peacemaker, Pacemaker, Playmaker: The three-way formula for engaging North Korea
A coordinated US-South Korea-Japan approach could succeed where previous bilateral efforts with Pyongyang have failed. -
1 Sep 2025
Four legs bad, three legs better? Rescuing the Quad with an India-Japan-Australia grouping
Three democratic middle powers have compelling reasons to forge an independent partnership that doesn’t depend on US politics. -
28 Aug 2025
Why France must join: Turning the Quintet into a Sextet
Paris brings territorial legitimacy, EU leverage and military presence that would strengthen any Indo-Pacific grouping. -
28 Aug 2025
Pragmatism reigns as Japan and South Korea look toward the future
Lee and Ishiba’s summit signals a shift from historical grievances to practical cooperation, but politics could derail progress. -
26 Aug 2025
Why fears about Japan going nuclear are likely overblown
The atomic weapons taboo remains just that. -
22 Aug 2025
Why the United Kingdom and the Indo-Pacific Four should form a new Quintet
These five resource-constrained democracies face shared challenges that require coordination beyond existing alliance structures. -
19 Aug 2025
Between China and Trump, little wonder Australia and Japan have lots to talk about – even if not a wartime past
Neither nation can handle China on their own, but must also know that the US can engage in naked coercion, too. -
13 Aug 2025
Religious revival: Why young people around the world are finding faith again
From digital spirituality to gendered divides, faith seems to offer meaning and identity where secular culture has fallen short. -
6 Aug 2025
Why Japan’s Mogami frigates can’t protect Australia’s trade
Big warships face growing vulnerabilities while the promise of protecting vast oceans remains questionable. -
28 Jul 2025
The TSD: The most underrated minilateral?
Reviving a languishing security agreement between Australia, Japan and the United States would be a win for regional stability. -
25 Jul 2025
Japan: After the Upper House election, what comes next, who’s next in line
Ishiba is holding on for now with succession uncertain. -
21 Jul 2025
Upper House election exposes Japan’s fragmenting political landscape
Ishiba Shigeru has lost twice now, and the third test could well be for his job. -
25 Jun 2025
China’s Pacific carrier deployment signals new phase in tensions with Japan
Beijing and Tokyo appear locked in an escalating cycle of military demonstrations. -
3 Jun 2025
The tariff war that’s accelerating Asia’s trade transformation
As the deadline for suspension looms, regional economies are looking to patch the vulnerabilities of regional economic architecture. -
30 May 2025
Can Japan fill the leadership void as America steps back from Asia?
So far, Tokyo has been cautious in articulating a broader strategic vision and political challenges at home appear set to curb its regional ambition. -
27 May 2025
Rice prices soar as Japan rethinks food security
Global instability, climate stress and small-scale farming practices are all putting stress on the market. -
2 May 2025
How the Squad risks upending ASEAN norms
Is minilateralism really the way forward for the Indo-Pacific? -
15 Apr 2025
Xi and Putin drive Japan and NATO closer together
Tokyo wants to learn more about Russia’s tactics in preparation of potential conflicts with China, while NATO eyes Japan’s defence industry.