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Tokyo Report
Japan’s ‘Balanced’ Position on Palestine Fails to Impress
By Thisanka Siripala
In Japan, protests calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza are at odds with the government’s stance in the Israeli-Hamas war.
The Role of Malaysia in Japan’s New Security Strategy
By Collins Chong Yew Keat
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s recent visit to Malaysia highlighted a growing area of cooperation between the two countries.
A Message to Kim Jong Un From Mother of Japanese Girl Abducted by North Korea in 1977
By Takahashi Kosuke
The mother of Yokota Megumi, the most famous of the Japanese civilians abducted by North Korea, continues to push for her daughter's return.
Chinese Propaganda and Fukushima Treated Water Issue
By KAWASHIMA Shin
There have been some changes.
The 2-Level Game in Japan’s Agriculture Trade Negotiations
By Zhuoran Li
The Japanese agriculture sector has a long history of obstructing international trade talks.
Japan, Philippines Agree to Intensify Defense Cooperation
By Takahashi Kosuke
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Manila saw the continued expansion of Japan-Philippines military cooperation.
RIP FOIP? Examining Japan’s New Foreign Policy Mantra
By Kei Hakata
What to make of Prime Minister Kishida’s repeated calls for a “free and open international order based on the rule of law”?
Can Japan Thread the Needle on the Israel-Hamas Conflict?
By William M.Z. Fujii
The geopolitical picture increasingly resembles that of 1973 – a traumatic experience that Japan wants to avoid reliving.
Japan’s Catch-22 Situation Over the Israel-Hamas War
By Takahashi Kosuke
Tokyo is caught between a diplomatic rock and an economic hard place.
Japan’s Top Court Strikes Down Required Sterilization Surgery to Officially Change Gender
By Mari Yamaguchi
The ruling does not address the constitutionality of requiring gender-transition surgery in general to obtain a state-sanctioned gender change.
Japan’s Fishing Sector Struggles After China Seafood Ban
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan is ramping up efforts to counter China’s seafood ban amid the controversial wastewater release from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Can Kishida Turn the LDP Into a Friend of Labor?
By Jio Kamata
The LDP is hoping to capitalize on rifts within the Japanese Trade Union Confederation and the opposition ranks.