Nov 04,2019 Special Forum

Introduction

The breakdown in ROK-Japan relations in the second half of 2019 has sent shock waves across some countries and caused others to salivate about how their aspirations might be realized. At a time of uncertainty about security, economics, and even the nature of the regional order, the possibilities are many for speculation about how the […]

Gilbert Rozman

"Belt and Road" Initiative , 1965 Basic Treaty , comfort women , free and open Indo-Pacific , GSOMIA , Korea Fatigue , Korean War , US-ROK alliance

Nov 01,2019 Special Forum

China

In the United States, there is much talk about how the collapse in Japan-ROK relations since July 2019 poses challenges for the US-Japan-ROK trilateral relationship led by Washington and supports Beijing in driving a wedge into US alliances. What are the Chinese authors saying? If they see an opportunity, what is it, and how do […]

Yumi Ko

"Belt and Road" Initiative , America First , comfort women , GSOMIA , RCEP

Oct 16,2019 Country Reports

Country Report: Japan (October 2019)

Japanese foreign policy drew increased criticism in the summer of 2019. On the left, there were harsh critiques of Abe’s diplomatic failures with Russia and North Korea (both putting Japan at increased risk), the breakdown of relations with South Korea, and the troubled state of the Japan-US relationship (Tokyo Shimbun, August 5). On the right, […]

Editorial Staff

"Belt and Road" Initiative , "Hate Korea” , GSOMIA , INF Treaty , Trump-Kim summit , US-China trade war , US-ROK alliance

Sep 03,2019 National Commentaries

A View from Japan

Amid the improving atmosphere in Japan-China relations, the crisis in Hong Kong has left many Japanese asking how their should country respond. In reaction to the proposed amendment to an extradition law, a vast number of Hong Kong citizens are repeatedly demonstrating in defense of Hong Kong’s freedom, which was guaranteed in the formula “one […]

Kurata Toru*

"Belt and Road" Initiative , free and open Indo-Pacific , Senkaku Islands , Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy , Trans-Pacific Partnership , Yasukuni Shrine

Sep 02,2019 Alternative Scenarios

Negative Scenario II

Two months after the G20, Abe Shinzo can look back with satisfaction that, despite failing to secure the “supermajority” that the ruling LDP party would have needed to secure constitutional revision, he had scored a comfortable summer 2019 election victory,1 suggesting that he had made good use of the opportunity to host the G20 to […]

Ra Mason

"Belt and Road" Initiative , G20 , Osaka Summit , Shinzo Abe , US-China trade war

Sep 02,2019 Alternative Scenarios

Positive Scenario II

Japan hosted the G20 Osaka Summit at the end of June 2019, and the world promptly forgot about it and moved on. That is not a failure, at least by the standards of such events. When evaluating whether Japan—and by extension Prime Minister Abe—succeeded in Osaka, it is vital to be reasonable and keep in […]

Benjamin L. Self

"Belt and Road" Initiative , G20 , Osaka Summit , Osaka Track , Shinzo Abe

Aug 29,2019 Country Reports

Country Report: China (August 2019)

In the middle of 2019, Chinese experts assessed Sino–US relations under the Trump administration and explored the implications of the United States’ competitive approach to China for China’s regional interests. They also evaluated the improvement in Sino–Indian relations following the Doklam incident and analyzed recent Sino–Japanese third-party market cooperation efforts. Apparent in many publications is […]

Danielle F. S. Cohen (assisted by Dong Jiaxin)

"Belt and Road" Initiative , 5G , Doklam crisis , Indo-Pacific strategy , US-China trade war

Aug 28,2019 Special Forum

Introduction

The G20 summit will easily pass into oblivion for its collective agenda, but it should long be remembered for its bilateral and trilateral summits and one that failed to occur between the leaders of Japan and South Korea. Xi Jinping conducted many meaningful meetings. Modi Narendra balanced two triangular agendas with the United States and […]

Editorial Staff

"Belt and Road" Initiative , free and open Indo-Pacific , G20 summit , US-China trade war

Aug 28,2019 Special Forum

Abe’s Korea Policy

Sandwiched around the G20 Osaka summit were Abe’s “honeymoon” with Trump, called the best relationship ever with the United States, and Abe’s “nightmare” with Moon Jae-in, called the worst relationship with South Korea since the 1965 normalization. Are the two extremes in Japanese foreign policy related? What is driving Abe’s foreign policy at the end […]

Gilbert Rozman

"Belt and Road" Initiative , free and open Indo-Pacific , G20 summit , GSOMIA , Trans-Pacific Partnership , US-China trade war , value diplomacy

Aug 28,2019 Special Forum

Trump’s Illusions

In the eyes of US observers, the G20 summit was more a series of bilateral meetings than a multilateral summit, more a prelude to Trump’s visit to the Korean Peninsula and meeting with Kim Jong-un, and more a round in the on-again off-again talks with Xi Jinping over trade than a turning point. Trump overshadowed […]

Editorial Staff

"Belt and Road" Initiative , free and open Indo-Pacific , G20 summit , History Wars , nuclear diplomacy