SPECIAL FORUM

“Japan’s Foreign Policy Outlook in 2020-2023: Overview, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific”

National Commentaries

“Yoon Suk-yeol’s Visits to Japan and the United States”

A South Korean Perspective

Analyses of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s foreign policy tend to focus on his government taking a tougher line toward North Korea relative to the engagement-focused approach of the preceding […]

A Japanese Perspective

Abe Shinzo was the most well-traveled prime minister in Japanese history. Abe sought to raise Japan’s stature in the world, support a rules-based global order, and cultivate person-to-person […]

A US Perspective

South Korean efforts to realign its foreign policy to achieve its goal of being a “global pivotal state” are gaining momentum this spring through President Yoon Suk-yeol’s diplomatic […]

Country Reports

South Korea
Country Report: South Korea (April 2023)

The recent South Korea-Japan and US-South Korea summits held in March and April have shown a glimmer of hope for the relationship between the three countries. However, the […]

Country Report: South Korea (February 2023)

Marking the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, the regional division around the Korean Peninsula, the US-led alliances on one side and North Korea-China-Russia on the other, has […]

Country Report: South Korea (December 2022)

In the months of November and December, as in previous months, Pyongyang continued its missile salvo firing 25 ballistic missiles in 12 rounds, amounting to a total of […]

Country Report: South Korea (October 2022)

The early autumn of 2022 saw conservative and progressive news sources focusing on ongoing issues without the drama of the Ukraine War and the Taiwan Strait conflict rising […]

Country Report: South Korea (August 2022)

In July and August, the strategic dilemma of South Korea in navigating the contest between the US and China was put into sharp relief by the ratcheted-up military […]

China
Country Report: China (April 2023)

In early 2023, Chinese analysts devoted significant attention to India’s maritime policy, assessing its impact on China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative and linking it to recent […]

Country Report: China (February 2023)

Chinese analysts continue to devote a great deal of attention to Southeast Asia and South Asia. They assessed diverse conceptions of national security among various ASEAN member states. […]

Country Report: China (December 2022)

In late 2022, Chinese analysts devoted a great deal of attention to the Indo-Pacific. They assessed the role of minilateral cooperation in the US Indo-Pacific strategy. They examined […]

Country Report: China (April 2022)

In the first months of 2022 Chinese international relations coverage examined how the Biden agenda was affecting Japan and South Korea. Chinese relations with both US allies had […]

Country Report: China (September 2022)

Chinese writings in the late summer appeared in the shadow of the Ukraine war and of deep strains in Sino-US relations. Often, they raised a triangular context, usually […]

Japan
Country Report: Japan (May 2023)

The early spring of 2023 proved to be a busy time for Japanese diplomacy. After hosting Yoon Suk-yeol on a historic reconciliation visit, Kishida Fumio outlined a new […]

Country Report: Japan (March 2022)

The winter of 2023 saw Kishida Fumio make a celebrated visit to Washington, while clarifying the new security strategy of Japan in the face of dangers from China, […]

Country Report: Japan (December 2022)

On December 28, Yomiuri looked back at 2022, naming Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the No. 1 overseas news and the resulting spike in oil prices No. 6. The […]

Country Report: Japan (November 2022)

As discussed in the September/October issue of Kaigai Jijo, we are at an historical turning point. With the war in Ukraine ongoing and Taiwan recognized as the next […]

Country Report: Japan (September 2022)

The late summer of 2022 saw responses to multiple bilateral relationships in Japan. At the forefront was the Japan-China nexus, commemorating fifty years since normalization in September. Not […]

Russia
Country Report: Russia (May 2023)

How closely should Russia align with China in the Asia-Pacific? Against the backdrop of the crisis in Ukraine, how is the regional architecture in Asia taking shape? Are […]

Country Report: Russia (March 2023)

In the late winter of 2023, China drew the closest Russian attention. India was second, as the overall trends in regional conflicts—East Asia versus Europe—and prospects of the […]

Country Report: Russia (January 2023)

At the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 Russians were asking about how much room they had to maneuver in Asia given their dependence on China. […]

Country Report: Russia (November 2022)

At war in Europe, Russia sees Asia in a new light. The mainstream has grown more dominant, and dissent, if that word were used liberally, has narrowed much […]

Country Report: Russia (September 2022)

Russian coverage in the late summer of East Asia centered on Sino-Russian relations with some interest also in North Korea and Japan. The impact of the “special military […]