Japan Watching: Society, Politics, Culture, Economy, Environment, And the World

The rapid rise of Asia over the past half century has been one of the world's most successful stories of economic development.  But can Asia continue the good work, and fully realize the potential of an Asian Century?  Or will it trip over and stumble like Japan has done for the past two decades?

We have been very critical of Japan in this affair, but other interpretations are possible.

When I was a child, I used to make up lists of my friends and my enemies.  That’s exactly what Hilary Clinton did in her recent major speech on America's Engagement in the Asia-Pacific.  But it is a wonderful speech that must be read.

Japan’s DPJ government bumbled its way into a dispute with China over the Senkaku Islands.  It now seems that Japan may have accidentally pulled off a brilliant victory!

Japan increasingly finds itself in a quadrangle between China, India and Korea.  How to manage this?

The Japanese and Chinese economies are locked in a passionate embrace of codependency.  But who is on top?

Japan received a right scolding from the OECD in its recent report on Japan’s development cooperation policies – and quite rightly so.  Japan must increase both the quantity and quality of its official assistance to developing countries.

US Secretary of State Clinton’s recent remarks on US foreign policy demonstrate how fortunate the world is, especially here in East Asia, that she is occupying this key global leadership position.  As Japan experiences seemingly never ending political instability, and as the Chinese government’s grip on power may be more fragile than many think, we need Secretary Clinton and the US more than ever.

Hiroshima has been in the news a lot lately.  A few weeks ago, on 6 August, US Ambassador John Roos became the first US ambassador to officially attend the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima.  This carried forward the spirit of President Obama’s commitment to creating a world without nuclear weapons.  Perhaps less well publicized was the awarding of Asia’s Nobel Prize to the Mayor of Hiroshima.

Why do we fear China?  It’s not because the size of the Chinese economy has just overtaken the Japanese economy.  It’s because China is undertaking a massive and non-transparent buildup and modernization of its military, a trend which has accelerated over the past decade.  And the Chinese military is becoming more and more assertive, notwithstanding sweet words of reassurance from Chinese President Hu Jintao.