February 27,2018 Special Forum

US-ROK Alliance

North Korea’s Olympic outreach brought an easing of tensions between North and South Korea after a year of escalating tensions throughout 2017. After delivering a somewhat conciliatory New Year’s address, Kim Jong-un sent a substantial delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, led by the North’s titular head, Kim Yong-nam, accompanied by Kim Yo-jung, Kim Jong-un&rsqu..

Sue Mi Terry
comfort women , Kim Yo-jung , KORUS FTA , OPCON , Pyeongchang Olympics , THAAD , trilateralism , Victor Cha
February 20,2018 Country Reports

Country Report: China (February 2018)

In late 2017 to early 2018, Chinese analysts explored Modi’s Indian Ocean policy and evaluated the construction of the Indo-Pacific as a region and its implications for quadrilateral security cooperation between the United States, Japan, India, and Australia. They also analyzed the security dilemma on the Korean Peninsula and China’s security relations with the states of Northeast..

Danielle F. S. Cohen (assisted by Dong Jiaxin)
"common security" , free and open Indo-Pacific strategy , proactive pacifism , Project Mausam , Quadrilateral Security Dialogue , THAAD
February 19,2018 Open Forum

How and Why Japan Has Saved the TPP: From Trump Tower to Davos

The Trump administration has employed “America First” as its defining electoral and governing slogan, viewing economic openness and globalization as harmful to US jobs and industrial competitiveness. It regards trade surpluses as evidence of winning and deficits as evidence of losing; the stated goal is consequently bilateral trade deals as the optimal approach to reduce America&r..

Terada Takashi*
Abenomics , America First , Japan-EU EPA , Japan-US FTA , RCEP , TPP , TPP-11
February 19,2018 Alternative Scenarios

Positive Scenario I

“History Bows to Strategy” In East Asia, disputes over history seem to be either roiling the region’s international relations—or lurking just beneath the surface. China emphasizes Japan’s atrocities in the Sino-Japanese war, notably the Nanjing Massacre, in its history education, commemoration, and state-controlled media. History issues also rankle Seoul and Tokyo..

Jennifer Lind
Ahn Jung-geun , comfort women , Dokdo/Takeshima , Nanjing Massacre , Senkaku/Diaoyu , Yasukuni Shrine
February 19,2018 Alternative Scenarios

Negative Scenario I

“Pathways for Renewed Historical Tension between Japan and South Korea” No issue so reliably sets Japan and South Korea against one another as “history”—a catch-all term for Japanese misbehavior in Korea during the colonial period. In 2018, the history issue could well re-emerge. The administration of President Moon Jae-in has, surprisingly, decided to not re-open..

Robert Kelly
Professor of International Relations , Pusan National University , Robert Kelly
February 05,2018 Open Forum

Washington Insights

The mood in DC approached alarmism at the beginning of 2018. Following the Olympic Games in South Korea, not only was it assumed that North Korea would revert to provocative behavior, but Moon Jae-in was not trusted to apply more pressure, trying to sustain the rosy atmosphere that took shape in January. The Trump administration’s determination for a trade showdown was finally becomin..

Editorial Staff
BRI , free and open Indo-Pacific , North-South talks , Pyeongchang Olympics , Quad , THAAD
February 02,2018 Country Reports

Country Report: South Korea (January 2018)

From November 2017 to January 2018, South Korean news editorials discussed North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, Hwaseong-15, and covered bilateral dynamics: South Korea-China relations following the Moon-Xi summit; US-North Korea relations following Tillerson’s proposal for unconditional talks; US-South Korea relations following the release of Trump&rsquo..

Eun A Jo
comfort women , freeze-for-freeze , Hwaseong 15 , Moon-Xi summit , Pyeongchang Olympics , THAAD
January 04,2018 Country Reports

Country Report: Japan (December 2017)

In late 2017, a succession of galvanizing themes dominated media coverage in Japan. At the beginning of November and again in mid-December, the media focused on Moon Jae-in’s turn toward China. Through much of November, it was Donald Trump’s travels to five countries in Asia, beginning with Japan. By early December, the focus had turned to North Korea’s new ICBM test and a c..

Editorial Staff
North Korea , Russiagate , THAAD , TPP , Trump-Xi Summit , US-Japan FTA , US-ROK alliance
January 02,2018 National Commentaries

A US Perspective

During the Cold War, a polarized order prevailed in East Asia due to China’s switching sides. Some have predicted its return as China and Russia draw closer, away from the United States and Japan as they rally others behind an order that would contain these rival powers. The Obama approach, solidifying alliances and partnerships while introducing initiatives such as TPP, was a soft vers..

Editorial Staff
Abe Shinzo , Donald Trump , Indo-Pacific strategy , Moon Jae-in , Quad , THAAD , TPP