Japan

List of Japan articles

A man wheels his bicycle along a railroad track in Hiroshima. Around him is the rubble of trees and buildings destroyed by the atomic bomb.
A man wheels his bicycle along a railroad track in Hiroshima. Around him is the rubble of trees and buildings destroyed by the atomic bomb.

The Bomb Was Horrifying. The Alternatives Would Have Been Worse.

Historical records show that dropping atomic bombs was the least bad option.

Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for group photos during the 15th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Summit, occurring on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 11.
Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for group photos during the 15th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Summit, occurring on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 11.

The Indo-Pacific Has Already Chosen Door No. 3

So-called fence-sitters are rejecting zero-sum geopolitical binaries in favor of multi-alignment.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 16, 2022.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 16, 2022.

ASEAN and the Quad Inch Closer Together

Southeast Asian skepticism toward the foursome is softening.

People release paper lanterns beside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial—one of the only buildings left standing in the city after the World War II devastation—to mark the 77th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan.
People release paper lanterns beside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial—one of the only buildings left standing in the city after the World War II devastation—to mark the 77th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan.

The Paradox of Hiroshima

This weekend’s G-7 summit is not the first time the city’s national context has complicated its status as a global peace symbol.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gestures toward his off-camera wife as he introduces her to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo. They are flanked by flags from the United States and Japan.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gestures toward his off-camera wife as he introduces her to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo. They are flanked by flags from the United States and Japan.

Republican Hopefuls Flock to Asia to Burnish Anti-China Creds

China hawks spread their wings ahead of the 2024 election season.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky  shake hands during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 21.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 21.

For Japan, ‘Ukraine is the Future of Asia’

Tokyo has abandoned decades of passivity and become a global strategic actor.

Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Rankin takes part in an Australian-Indian naval exercise on Sept. 5, 2021 off Darwin, Australia.
Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Rankin takes part in an Australian-Indian naval exercise on Sept. 5, 2021 off Darwin, Australia.

Why China Should Worry About Asia’s Reaction to AUKUS

Even some non-aligned countries have cautiously signaled support.

A soldier from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade takes part in a joint military drill with Britain, Australia and the United States in Funabashi, Japan, on Jan. 8.
A soldier from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade takes part in a joint military drill with Britain, Australia and the United States in Funabashi, Japan, on Jan. 8.

Japan’s Defense Plans Are Big, Popular, and Expensive

Tokyo wants to double its military budget within five years.

An MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft takes off from U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa.
An MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft takes off from U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa.

Okinawa Is in the Crosshairs of China’s Ambitions

Okinawans continue to pay the price for being caught between great powers.

Then-Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda attends a central bank symposium.
Then-Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda attends a central bank symposium.

Japan Has Raised Inflation but Can’t Shake Stagnation

Top banking chief Haruhiko Kuroda is leaving with his work half done.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is saluted by members of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) during an international fleet review commemorating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the MSDF at Sagami Bay off Yokosuka, Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is saluted by members of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) during an international fleet review commemorating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the MSDF at Sagami Bay off Yokosuka, Japan.

A Solution for Japan’s Military Mismatch

Given that Japan’s primary threats are maritime, why has it invested so heavily in a land-based force?

Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force attend a live-fire exercise at East Fuji Maneuver Area in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, on May 28, 2022.
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force attend a live-fire exercise at East Fuji Maneuver Area in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, on May 28, 2022.

Japan Needs a Defense Industrial Revolution

If Tokyo is serious about protecting itself, it needs to kick-start its military manufacturing sector.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives for a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Aug. 6, 2022.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives for a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Aug. 6, 2022.

The Philippines Is America’s New Star Ally in Asia

Manila’s geopolitical shift is more than the Biden administration could have hoped for.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is saluted by members of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is saluted by members of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Japan’s Long-Awaited Return to Geopolitics

Tokyo’s abandonment of its post-1945 security stance is another fallout from Russia’s war.

U.S. President Joe Biden (right) greets Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as he arrives at the White House in Washington on Jan. 13.
U.S. President Joe Biden (right) greets Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as he arrives at the White House in Washington on Jan. 13.

Why ‘Economic Security’ Became Magic Words in Japan

In confronting China, Japan is thinking beyond its military. The United States should follow suit.

A semiconductor manufacturing plant is seen in Japan.
A semiconductor manufacturing plant is seen in Japan.

Japan Bets Big on Bringing Semiconductor Manufacturing Home

An ambitious state-backed industrial plan targets both growth and China.

Ones-And-Tooze-podcast-series-1500x1000-site (1)
Ones-And-Tooze-podcast-series-1500x1000-site (1)
Kishida frowns as he stands at a podium in front of a screen showing financial data in Japanese.
Kishida frowns as he stands at a podium in front of a screen showing financial data in Japanese.

Japan’s Weaker Yen Is Here to Stay—for Better or Worse

The country’s government and central bank have adamantly opposed too much intervention in the yen despite the economic consequences.

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