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 […]

Country Report: Japan (July 2022)

The year 2022 has unfolded strikingly differently from Japanese expectations. Although already in retirement, Abe Shinzo had set the agenda that was expected to prevail. This included not […]

Country Report: China (July 2022)

In mid-2022, Chinese analysts reflected on Sino–US relations under the Biden administration, prospects for improvement, and whether the two countries are entering a “new Cold War.” While largely […]

Explaining Japan’s About-Face on Russia

The Kishida-Biden and Quad summits of May 23-24, 2022 showcased not only Biden’s determination to turn the Ukraine war into a catalyst for a more vigorous US policy […]

United States

National Commentary: The United States The prevailing attitude in the DC think tank community is that rarely has such a consequential presidential visit to Asia occurred. Three takeaways […]

South Korea

On the one hand, the Biden visit to Seoul drew praise for Yoon Suk-yeol in his inaugural summit on the world stage. He boosted the image of Seoul […]

Japan

US-Japan relations had been on the upswing under Abe, but various uncertainties lingered. Obama was considered too weak on China. Abe’s wooing of Putin and early antagonizing of […]

Country Report: South Korea (April 2022)

Country Report: South Korea (March & April 2022) Shin Munkyoung and Jung Seyoon The outcome of South Korea’s presidential election in which the conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol won […]

Tracking the Pathway to a ‘Quasi-alliance’: Japan’s Policy toward Australia from 2013 to 2022

The Way to a “Quasi-ally”: Japan’s Policy to Australia, 2013-2022 Satake Tomohiko As Japan’s alliance with the United States drew closer in the post-Cold War era, two US […]

Country Report: South Korea (February 2022)

In January and February, with increasing tension across the border between Russia and Ukraine, the US seemed to move the focus to Europe after its withdrawal from Afghanistan, […]