North Korea and South Korea test ballistic missiles: the US muted, Japan angry, and China diplomatic Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Korean Peninsula witnessed the launching of tested ballistic missiles by North Korea and South Korea within hours of each other. Japan condemned the launch by North Korea. However,…
Japan Increases Involvement in Central Asia Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Paul Goble The Jamestown Foundation Almost two decades ago, Japan adopted the 5+1 approach to dealing with Central Asia, a model other outside players have copied. Now, Japan is increasing its involvement in the region given the Taliban’s recent victory, which has created new…
Vietnam and Japan praise relations between both nation in Hanoi: Russian Federation Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính of Vietnam (Việt Nam) met the Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi in Hanoi (Hà Nội) yesterday. The Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Defense Minister of Japan praised recent developments between Japan and…
Japan LDP leadership battle: Sanae Takaichi and nationalism Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The stepping down of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga means that an internal battle within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is ongoing. Several candidates are in the running. Therefore, the factional angle will come into play like usual. However,…
Japan LDP leadership battle: Fumio Kishida vows fairer society Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The announcement by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that he would step down means an internal battle to replace him is ongoing within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Several candidates have come forward. However, unlike others, Fumio…
The UK evacuated Japanese Embassy staff from Kabul: Usual reliance on others Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan seems to lack a sense of priority when urgent decisions are needed. Indeed, in areas of national security, the government of Japan relies heavily on the armed forces of America.…
Japan Challenges Russia in Antarctic, Sparking Concern in Moscow about West’s Plans Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Paul Goble The Jamestown Foundation The Japanese government’s National Institute for Polar Research (NIPR) released four reports so far this month (July 2021) outlining Tokyo’s view that Japan should be among the countries allowed to exploit the oil…
Japan protests against the PM of Russia visiting Iturup Island: Economic changes Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japan made formal protests to the Russian Federation after Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Iturup Island in the South Kuril Islands. According to Japan, the region belongs to Japan and is called the Northern…
President Moon of South Korea cancels planned visit to Tokyo Olympics because of undiplomatic language Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The rude comment by Hirohisa Soma, the Deputy Ambassador of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea, aimed at President Moon Jae-in of South Korea scuppered his planned visit to the Tokyo…
Japan and South Korea: Possible meeting between Suga and Moon in Tokyo Noriko Watanabe and Kanako Mita Modern Tokyo Times Reports of a possible meeting between Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and President Moon Jae-in have hit a diplomatic snag. This concerns a rude comment by Hirohisa Soma, the Deputy Ambassador of the Japanese Embassy in…
Japan condemns China over human rights but is fine to strengthen ties with Iran Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Foreign Ministry under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his administration are endlessly rebuking China over human rights and being a regional threat. However, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Japan, Toshimitsu…
Japan provides 1 billion dollars to COVAX scheme: Huge debt and little help at home Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times Japan is blighted by enormous debt and a government under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who can support the international community but provide little at home. Thus the announcement that Japan will provide…
Japan concerned by Vietnam news of new hybrid India and UK Covid-19 variant Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times Japan is concerned by news emanating from Vietnam about a new hybrid variant of the coronavirus (Covid-19). According to the government of Vietnam, this concerns variants that were first acknowledged in India and the…
America and Japan in usual anti-China mantra under Biden and Suga Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The former leader of Japan, Shinzo Abe, could contain anti-China hawks during his leadership. However, it is noticeable under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that the Japanese Foreign Ministry is enacting a hawkish policy aimed at…
China and South Korea rebuke Japan over planned nuclear plant water into the sea Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times China and South Korea have rebuked Japan over plans to release nuclear plant water into the sea. Of course, the nuance in Japan is releasing “treated water.” However, this isn’t fooling China…
Japan mimicking America and following the China containment policy Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japan is mimicking America to the extreme when it comes to Washington’s containment policy of China. Hence, the recent meetings between senior American and Japanese officials in Japan resulted in the same anti-China mantra. Security talks in…
Japan utilizes America, Australia, and India to lambast China during the Quad summit Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan utilized the Quad summit with America, Australia, and India to lambast China. Indeed, this is a familiar tactic while all nations maintain strong economic ties with China…
Myanmar violence disturbs Japan and calls for reinstalling democracy Kanako Mita and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan is increasingly disturbed by the use of violence by the security apparatus in Myanmar. Hence, unlike Western nations that failed to support Myanmar during the democratic path under State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi,…
Japan reliance on foreign Covid-19 vaccines and bottlenecks: China and Russia helping internationally Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times China, Japan, and the Russian Federation all belong to the geographic space of Northeast Asia. Indeed, the Russian Federation is a transcontinental nation. However, despite China and the Russian Federation producing coronavirus (Covid-19)…
Japan must foster its own approach to the Myanmar crisis Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan must foster its own independent approach to the Myanmar crisis while working with the United States of America, the European Union (EU), and regional nations. It seems likely that sanctions will be…
Japan and the United Kingdom to strengthen geopolitical ties Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The United Kingdom and Japan are strengthening geopolitical ties based on the growing rise of China. In theory, the mantra is a free and open Indo-Pacific. However, in reality, it is the containment of China – alongside…
Japan continues to welcome Western military support in East Asia aimed at China: UK strike group Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times If you view history through the prism of longevity then China wasn’t a threat to Japan. Nor did this nation endanger the sovereignty of Japan. On the contrary, for over…
Japan and India support a free and open Indo-Pacific region: China isn’t boosting allies Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of China isn’t creating further divisions in Northeast Asia or the Asia Pacific region. However, Japan is constantly upping the ante by endless bi-lateral – and multi-lateral – power plays…
Australia and Japan agree on a historic Defense Pact Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have agreed in principle to a significant Defense Pact. Of course, China isn’t happy about events. However, democratic nations need to focus on strengthening their respective…
Nikkei above 26,000 in high not seen since 1991: Japanese worry about Covid-19 Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese stock market in Tokyo reached 26,000 but the Nikkei isn’t painting the real picture of the economy. Instead, wealthy financial institutions and investors are making a killing out of government stimulus…
Japan will not sign the United Nations Nuclear Ban Treaty based on geopolitics Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japan is protected by the nuclear umbrella of the United States. Hence with Northeast Asia being a major area of competing militaries that have nuclear weapons, then naturally Japan refuses to join the…
US firm alleges China hacking Japan Covid-19 projects: Skepticism is needed Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga needs a calm head because these days China is being blamed for countless things. Often, without clear evidence that it is related to state involvement. According to an information security firm…
Japan to support the United Kingdom joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Recently the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan, in principle, signed an important trade deal. Of course, for the UK, this comes at an opportune time because of ongoing issues with the European Union (EU). It is…
PM Suga of Japan to visit Vietnam and Indonesia: Anti-China hawks need silencing Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga claims to want to preserve the mantle of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe. Yet, some individuals in his Cabinet appear more hawkish towards China and the Russian Federation. Therefore, if…
Japan protests after China patrol incursion: Early test for PM Suga Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan is facing his first geopolitical test after two Chinese patrol ships entered the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands. This comes shortly after recent anti-China stances according to political elites…
Prime Minister Suga showing early nationalist signs Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is showing early nationalist signs even if not overtly. Hence, it is striking that several members of his Cabinet and policies announced seem to have a nationalist slant. Of course, some of this is natural…
PM Suga of Japan and President Xi of China talk by phone Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan and President Xi Jinping of China held their first talks by phone since Suga became the new leader of Japan. Unsurprisingly, both leaders promised to foster closer relations…
