Japan

Moscow doled out permanent entry bans on Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi and eight other top officials and business leaders in retaliation for Japanese sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Faced with mounting doubts over Washington’s reliability, U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific may start charting their own course. 

As the world faces rapid change and competition over AI, Japan’s step-up is significant for the East Asian region but also the wider world. 

Does an aging population affect economic policy, and by extension, undermine trust in the democratic political system? 

Nothing can substitute Japan’s collective defense with the United States, but working with a multilateral bloc such as NATO is an important effort to bolster deterrence. 

Tokyo says a Chinese ship placed a small buoy in the Shikoku Basin along Japan's southern continental shelf. Beijing says it is for tsunami observation.

Multiple photos of the Yokosuka-based USS Ronald Reagan were also allegedly taken by a Chinese drone. The authenticity of the footage hasn’t been determined yet.

The discharges have been opposed by fishing groups and neighboring countries including China, which banned all imports of Japanese seafood immediately after the release began.

Tokyo is a quiet but important partner to Central Asia, with notable engagement on projects related to the Aral Sea.

The earthquake that struck Japan on New Year’s Day caused a grave tragedy but a political crisis, like that seen in 2011, seems to have been dodged.

Deepened trilateral cooperation between the U.S. and its two key East Asian allies is a positive development, but the fragility of Japanese and South Korean leadership underscores the importance of long-term reconciliation. 

In its response to recent events in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Ukraine, Japan has demonstrated greater flexibility in admitting those needing refuge.