South Korea is intent on terminating GSOMIA and this bodes well for Japan Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan and South Korea are at loggerheads over history and other issues. Hence, with South Korea stating that it intends to terminate GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement), then…
Japan puts faith in Myanmar under Aung San Suu Kyi and her democratic path Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Myanmar is extremely multi-ethnic and multi-religious and under the State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, this nation is firmly focused on the democratization of this nation. Of course, certain…
Japan cements military ties with Australia and the trilateral approach with America Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The governments of Japan and Australia respectively are strengthening military and geopolitical ties. Hence, the latest first-ever joint air combat exercise between both nations is following on from the growing role that Japan took…
PM Dmitry Medvedev of Russia rebukes Japan over his visit to the Kuril Islands (Northern Territories) Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, sharply rebuffed negative comments emanating from political elites in Japan. After all, in the eyes of Medvedev, how can he be…
First Ever Sino-Russian Joint Air Patrol Barely Avoids Triggering Regional Conflict Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Pavel Felgenhauer The Jamestown Foundation The Chinese Ministry of National Defense published a white paper yesterday, July 24, entitled “China’s National Defense in a New Era.” The document accuses the United States of pursuing “unilateral policies,” provoking “intensified competition…
Abe and ruling political bloc wins Upper House election in Japan but voter apathy is high Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the ruling bloc partner Komeito won the majority of seats in the Upper House election that was contested. Hence,…
Japan touts national security in a spat with South Korea after high-tech restrictions Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan is issuing national security concerns in the latest spat with South Korea. While, in the opposite direction, South Korea once more is using historical war-time issues that need to…
Japan Considers a New Security Relationship Via “Networking” with Taiwan Publication: China Brief Volume: 19 Issue: 10 By: Howard Wang The Jamestown Foundation Introduction—Japan Seeks “Networking” with Regional Allies In early May 2019, Japanese Foreign Minister (FM) Taro Kono tweeted support for Taiwan’s bid to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer—thereby advocating for…
PM Abe of Japan returns from a pointless visit to Iran: Middle East quagmire Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe returns to Japan after a pointless visit to Iran that made him look out of touch. Once more, the Japanese Foreign Ministry that is aloof about the real…
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to visit Iran but Saudi Arabia may be displeased? Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan is planning to visit Iran once all arrangements have been made. This especially applies to meeting President Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Therefore, senior…
Capitalist Big Brother in Japan: Yahoo Japan to Mizuho FG and George Orwell Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The privacy of information is endlessly being crushed just like freedom on social media. George Orwell in 1949 published a powerful book titled Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984). Sadly, the ramifications of his words are…
Japan and Russia territorial dispute made worse based on US containment policies Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan wants stronger relations with the Russian Federation but three issues remain that are preventing this. This applies to the role of America that seeks to contain China and…
President Trump to enjoy his state visit to Japan and meet the new Emperor Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times President Donald Trump of America will enjoy his state visit to Japan based on the friendliness of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Equally important, and a great honor for Trump, the leader of America will be the…
Sterilization of people deemed “unworthy and unfit” from conservative Japan to liberal Sweden Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan acknowledged the brutality of forced sterilizations that inflicted vast numbers of people between 1948 and 1996. Hence, compensation will now be given to victims who suffered greatly…
US and Japan affirm Cybersecurity ties: Japan’s non-Northeast Asian fixation and Russia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan claims that he desires to solve the protracted territorial dispute with the Russian Federation. Yet, many within the corridors of power in Moscow dispute the sincerity of Japan.…
Electronic warfare and Japan: New approach to the Russian Federation? Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan is focused on a five-year plan to upgrade areas related to electronic warfare, cyber wars, cyberspace, and other modern military areas. At the same time, Japan understands the growing reality of new…
EU to assist Myanmar in the education sector: Japan welcomes EU assistance Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The European Union (EU) will assist Myanmar in the education sector to the tune of US$252 million dollars. This news is widely appreciated because State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is intent on increasing…
March 11 Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011: Heroes of Otsuchi to Fleeing Embassies Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times This article is published in the memory of the “Fire brigade Heroes of Otsuchi” – and remembering how so-called friends of Japan fled quickly. The brutal events of March 11, 2011, will always…
Myanmar attracts investment from the Northeast Asian powers of China, Japan, and South Korea Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The economic powers of Northeast Asia continue to view the future of Myanmar in a positive light. Hence, continuing investments, infrastructural projects, political goodwill, and the collective understanding of the many difficulties…
PM Abe to ignore the voice of Okinawa and increase tensions based on placating America Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is intent on dismissing the voice of Okinawa in order to placate America’s geopolitical concerns. In truth, the shortsightedness and meekness of many past Japanese leaders enabled…
Japan government should listen to Okinawans after 72 percent reject US base move Sawako Uchida and Chika Mori Modern Tokyo Times The central government of Japan under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe must listen to the people of Okinawa. If not, then resentment will further grow because it is overwhelmingly clear that the majority oppose the…
Electronic warfare a concern for Japan: Modernization on developments in China and Russia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Irrespective of the rights or wrongs of events surrounding Crimea between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the role of Russia’s electronic warfare opened-up eyes in Japan. Similarly, with China and the Russian Federation…
Japan to increase its Cyber Defense: NATO and CCDCOE Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan is finally waking up to the importance of increasing the Cyber Defense of this nation. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is especially concerned about protecting the Japanese Self Defense Forces and other important areas…
Nikkei index in Japan declines by 5% in one day: The long shadow of America Noriko Watanabe and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The Nikkei index in Japan fell by 5% based on mainly external factors. Despite this, if the internal fundamentals were sound then irrespective of events in America the fall would have been…
Military option enhanced in Japan based on the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is focused on the modernization of the armed forces. This is based on the changing geopolitical landscape and having various territorial disputes with several regional nations…
Quad Restrictions: Addressing PRC Investment Concerns in the Indo-Pacific By: Ashley Feng, Sagatom Saha The Jamestown Foundation Washington has recently taken a tougher tack to growing inbound investment from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by strengthening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), but its security partners in the PRC’s backyard…
Cyber-security minister in Japan isn’t keen on using computers: Abe and cronyism Chika Mori and Kanako Itamae Modern Tokyo Times The minister in charge of cyber-security in Japan, according to reports, has never bothered to use a computer during his working life. Obviously, following on from this, he doesn’t know much about the in-depth…
Sanctions against Myanmar are “Nonsense” claims the Ambassador of Japan Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar, Ichiro Maruyama, is adamant that international sanctions against this country are “utter nonsense.” Hence, Japan believes, like other regional nations, that supporting Myanmar is the best process to solving the situation…
Prime Minister Abe of Japan meets President Xi of China: A wary eye remains Sawako Utsumi and Chika Mori Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan is on a visit to China in the hope of improving relations. This notably applies to the economic approach because Abe, just like President Xi Jinping, is…
Japan hopes America will not pull out of INF treaty with the Russian Federation Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japan is extremely concerned about indications that America may pull out of the INF Treaty (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty) with the Russian Federation. Of course, for Japan, this would be a dramatic…
Myanmar should utilize its geopolitical importance: Positive ties with China, India, and Japan Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Myanmar is far from isolated despite the efforts of many Western and Islamic media outlets. Equally, Myanmar doesn’t need any moral lambasting from nations that sell military arms to Saudi…
Russia accuses Japan of “megaphone diplomacy” over military drills in contested waters Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation have extremely cordial relations based on friendship. However, elements inside the Japanese Foreign Ministry remain negative towards the Russian Federation,…
