Editors’ disclaimer: this debate was crafted during early 2018, before the development of new events between North and South Korea’s possible peace treaty that would formally end the Korea…
Yasukuni Shrine: More Than Just Honoring the Dead
The Yasukuni Shrine is tucked away off a bustling Tokyo street, a stone’s throw away from the Imperial Palace at the center of the city. In the grounds around its palatial Shinto-style architecture li…
The North Korean Nuclear Crisis: Where to Go From Here
On September 15th, North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile over the Japanese island of Hokkaido for the second time in the span of three weeks. This provocative launch comes just four …
AIIB – To Join, or Not To Join?
This summer, I had the privilege of interning in Washington, D.C. with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-19). While the current administration and Senate healthcare bill have certainly dominated national …
The Legal Side of Immigration
A Comparative Piece The once self-declared “nation of immigrants” is under fire for its outdated and seemingly nativist treatment of foreign hopefuls. For scores of Americans, the country’s legal immi…
The Fate of Futenma
In a historic decision, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has accepted a court-mediated settlement to halt the construction of the American military base in Henoko. The victory for the local anti-bas…
Constitutional Reform in Japan: An Overblown Threat to East Asian Security
Shinzo Abe speaking out in opposition to Japan’s pacifist constitution before the election. Featured image source: NBC News. With all the drama and coverage surrounding the 2016 United States presiden…
“Isle Have What She’s Having”: Territorial Tensions Between Japan and South Korea
Dokdo/Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks. (REUTERS/Jeon Su-young/Yonhap) Located over 200 kilometers from the Korean and Japanese mainland, it consists of two large rocks surrounded by thirty-five smaller rock…
The Art of Unapologizing
Political apologies are flawed, especially from the perspective of comfort women. About 20,000 women and girls were taken against their will to “comfort stations” throughout East Asia to provide sexua…
The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Fast Track Authority: What’s the Big Deal?
A cornerstone of President Obama’s trade agenda has created a rift between his administration and his Democratic base, who have joined with Tea Party Republicans in an unusual marriage of convenience.…
The AIIB: China’s Economic Evolution
According to the International Monetary Foundation (IMF), the economies of the Asia-Pacific region are growing rapidly, and are expected to account for almost half of global GDP by 2030. However, sust…
The Northern Sea Route: Could It Be The New Suez Canal?
Under the influence of climate change, Arctic ice is melting away. This scares climatologists, but also intriguingly creates possible economic benefits. The melted ice has opened trade routes and ener…
Can Narendra Modi Shift India’s Standing on the World Stage?
Narendra Modi, India’s new prime minister, isn’t your average politician. He comes from a humble background as a street tea seller, didn’t publicly acknowledge that he was married un…
Solving Japan’s Energy Crisis
The Fukushima disaster was a traumatic experience for Japan: in March 2011, an earthquake and the subsequent tsunami it triggered led to the meltdown of a vital power plant that left the country in a …
Brains Over Brawn
Since Xi Jinping assumed office in 2013, observers have wondered whether China’s foreign policy would change to reflect his ascension. In the past year, events have unfolded which shed new light on th…