JARED D’AGOSTINO WRITES – For the first time in five years, on February 7, 2023, Japan used the words “illegal occupation” when describing Russia’s presence on the Kurile Islands. This is not surprising; Japanese and Russian relations have deteriorated since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24th last…
SAM BECK WRITES – Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has named a new potential Governor of the world-renowned Bank of Japan, MIT Ph.D and former BOJ board member Kazuo Ueda. Dilemmas that faced incumbent Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, whose decade-long term ends in April, led to the announcement on February 14.…
This column originally appeared in the South China Morning Post on January 4, 2023. CLINICAL PROFESSOR TOM PLATE WRITES – Is it conceivable that the risk-taking pilot of the Chinese Navy J-11 fighter that flew within metres of a US Air Force RC-135 over the South China Sea two weeks ago…
TAYLOR BOSVELD WRITES – Why is there a war memorial in the middle of Tokyo honoring people who committed wartime atrocities? Why has the ex-Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, recently visited the war memorial for the second time in as many months since stepping down? The first visit drew…
NICOLE ALAVERDIAN WRITES – The G20 Summit, held June 28th and 29th in Osaka, garnered the attention of the international community as top government officials from each member country came together to talk about pressing global issues. Some topics on the agenda: the trade war debacle and climate change. Japan,…
ERISA TAKEDA WRITES – Japan and Saudi Arabia each want a better economy. To get there, they’ve just doubled down on closer bilateral relations and deeper cultural ties. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Tokyo September 1 to sign a handful of agreements…
TOM PLATE WRITES – These are times that try one’s pro-American soul. To succeed Barack Obama as president, the fight looks to have come down to a duel between know-nothing and a know-it-all – between a candidate who has never held any political office, and one who has held only…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Since the end of World War II, Japan has successfully avoided war as a way to settle international conflicts. The country’s constitution intentionally promotes peace by de-emphasizing its military. That may no longer work. Early Saturday morning, September 19, the upper house of Japan’s parliament passed…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – In a piece from The Japan Times, Columbia University’s Gerald Curtis states that, “the [Japanese] government doesn’t have to muzzle the press if the press takes it upon itself to do the muzzling.” Shigeaki Koga, an ex-bureaucrat at Japan’s Ministry of the Economy, wants to tear…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Stop to think about what it means to live in a democracy and freedom of the press will likely come to mind. Journalists being able to speak out about societal wrongs is vital to improving society and expanding the minds of the people they serve. But…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES– If China, South Korea, and Japan were humans instead of countries, you might say their relationship status would be “It’s Complicated.” The three are geographical neighbors, and treat each other as such – they are cordial when they need to be, but behind closed doors are not…
ROBERT DYLAN FIELDS WRITES- Since its partial takeover of Iraq and Syria in the summer of 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, better known as ISIS, has committed various acts of barbarism, including a series of live beheadings of international hostages. Most recent were the deaths of two…
The following syndicated column by Asia Media Founder Tom Plate appeared Monday 15 Dec. in the South China Morning Post of Hong Kong: There will be little rejoicing over this weekend’s Japanese election. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remains leader of his party and his country, but who can imagine him…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – The Japanese can now officially dance the night away without a curfew. Since 1948, dancing at any time past midnight in Japan has been illegal. But those who want to shake their groove things can now rejoice. The Japanese government is cutting back on the crazy…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – On October 19, Japanese media was quick to announce the resignation of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi after claims that groups supporting her had misused political funds. If anybody knows how to handle a scandal, it’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’ and his team. Since…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Retracting a story is a bold move in the field of journalism and tends to suggest a lack of research. On August 5, The Asahi Shinbun decided to retract not one story, but all stories that included a quote made by a Japanese man who claimed…
