Blog
Tokyo Report
A Robot Begins Removal of Melted Fuel From the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. It Could Take a Century.
By Mari Yamaguchi
The robot’s two-week trip is a crucial step in a decades-long process to decommission the plant and deal with large amounts of highly radioactive melted fuel inside.
Will Koizumi Shinjiro Become Japan’s Youngest Prime Minister?
By Daisuke Akimoto
The former environment minister is leading in the polls, despite being just 43 years old. What would his election mean for the LDP and Japan?
How Did Japan’s Conservatives Fall in Love With Dovish Economic Policy?
By Jio Kamata
For decades, hawkish economic policy was a hallmark of the LDP. Then Abe Shinzo changed the game with “Abenomics.”
Will Japan Turn to Deep Seabed Mining to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains?
By Oliver Banks and Ariel Silverman
Despite the apparent benefits, there are significant legal gaps and technological limitations that must be addressed before this mineral wealth on the seafloor can be brought to market.
New LDP Leader, Same Old LDP
By Jake Northey
The LDP's attempt to get the public behind its presidential election ironically calls attention to the disconnect between party and people.
Japan-Taiwan Maritime Security Cooperation
By KAWASHIMA Shin
Recent drills raised hackles in Beijing.
Japan’s Incremental Change in a De Facto Immigration Policy
By Kimiko Kuga
Japan has scrapped the controversial TITP scheme, but its replacement has the same problem: foreign workers are not considered immigrants.
The Risks of Japan’s Aging Democracy
By Xiaochen Su
Does an aging population affect economic policy, and by extension, undermine trust in the democratic political system?
Kishida’s Resignation Is a Diplomatic Loss for Japan
By Yukari Easton
Japan will need another international statesman as prime minister. The jury is out as to whether Kishida’s successor, whomever that may be, will meet this high bar.
Monarchical Diplomacy in Japan-UK Relations
By Reyhan Silingar
A recent state visit by Emperor Naruhito recalls the long history of monarch-to-monarch relations in Japanese and British foreign policy.
Japan’s Kishida Announces He Will Not Run in LDP Leadership Race, Paving the Way for a New Prime Minister
By Mari Yamaguchi
Kishida, who has suffered dwindling support ratings that have dipped below 20 percent, will not seek re-election as the ruling party’s president in September.
Nagasaki’s Atomic Bomb Commemoration Overshadowed by Israel-Palestine Divisions
By Takahashi Kosuke
Ambassadors from Japan's G-7 partners skipped the event, decrying a perceived snub of Israel.