Nov 22,2013 National Commentaries

Japanese Perspective

"China and International Law/Norms: A Japanese Perspective" Signs of China respecting and complying with international law and norms are mixed at best. Assuming that international law and norms are the foundation of the postwar liberal international order, established and sustained by the United States and other advanced democracies including European states and Japan, I use […]

Soeya Yoshihide*
Abe Shinzo , East China Sea , International relations theory , National Security Liberal international order , proactive pacifism , South China Sea , unilateralism , value diplomacy
Nov 22,2013 Review Article

New South Korean Academic Writings on Contemporary Japan and Japanese-Korean Relations

South Korean academic writings of 2013 provide a useful window through which students of Japan worldwide can observe Japan and Japanese-Korean relations. So far this year, I found that six books have been published on Japan and Japanese-Korean relations, as well as six articles in the two most prestigious journals of political science (The Korean […]

Kim Jiyoung*
Abe Shinzo , comfort women , lack of common goals , military power , threat perceptions
Sep 17,2013 Topics of the Month

Japan-Russia Relations – 3

This is a quiet time in Japan-Russia relations without any indication of a transformative event ahead. Further contacts are arranged without drawing much attention. We need to look elsewhere for indications that conditions may be building for some sort of change. For that, I scrutinize Alexander Panov’s rejoinder, while also reflecting broadly on the evolving […]

Kazuhiko Togo
Abe Shinzo , Alexander Panov , Irkutsk agreement , Kunadze interview , Peace Treaty , Sato Masaru , Shigeta Hiroshi
Aug 02,2013 Open Forum

Negotiations between Japan and USSR/Russia on the Northern Territories: Lessons for the Abe-Putin Renewal of Talks

Many may be so weary of talk about negotiations on the territorial dispute between Tokyo and Moscow as nothing more than a broken record that they will be tempted to skip this article. To catch their attention, I am starting with three bold statements. First, the talks made considerable progress, especially in 2000-2001 under Putin, […]

Kazuhiko Togo
1956 Joint Declaration , Abe Shinzo , Investment , Natural Gas , Peace Treaty , Territorial Negotiations , Vladimir Putin
Jul 19,2013 Topics of the Month

Japan-Russia Relations – 1

Abe’s Visit to Moscow: Can It Become the Beginning of an End? Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s visit to Moscow on April 28-30, 2013, can generally be considered a “success,” which could be a real starting point for Japan and Russia to reach an agreement that has eluded them since the 1950s. Yet failure to act, […]

Kazuhiko Togo
1956 Joint Declaration , Abe Shinzo , Investment , Natural Gas , Peace Treaty , Territorial Negotiations , Vladimir Putin