Japan

Japan and India are set to boost military and economic ties. But even without a rising China, the two would surely have found each other.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has been keen to reassure key allies like Japan in his first official Asia trip.

Upcoming visits to Japan by two senior Indian ministers underscore efforts by both nations to bolster ties.

Slashing the US defence budget could undermine stability in Asia and US interests there, says J. Randy Forbes. And it could get worse this autumn.

Japanese Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko has said he wants win-win relations with China. Is it possible?

The attack on Pearl Harbor could have been even worse for the United States. Why did Japan hold back?

Beijing’s submarine fleet is not as big or powerful as US military planners once feared. Have its blue-water ambitions been overstated?

Microblogs like Weibo are helping to change Chinese perceptions of Japan. There’s little China’s censors can do.

China’s mix of historical and legal claims in the South China Sea are inconsistent, says Frank Ching. Beijing can’t have its cake and eat it.

Seoul’s plan to develop a naval base on Ulleung Island is aimed at boosting its claim over the disputed Dokdo islets. It will also inflame tensions with Japan.

Cosplay is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Japan should seize the chance to exploit it.

At a time of uncertainty, the Asia-Pacific should stick with the security guarantees that have brought it relative peace and prosperity. It’s too soon to count the US out.