Region Related Event Feeds

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3

bMizuno — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Edited by Carl Baker and Brad Glosserman

January 2012, Vol. 13, No. 3 – (September–December 2011)

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3 - Regional Overview

bMizuno — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

It’s been an Asia-centric four months. The US proclaimed America’s “pivot” toward Asia, while North Korea faced a pivotal moment following the death of Kim Jong Il.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3 - US-Japan

bMizuno — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Prime Minister Noda accomplished important steps including the selection of the F-35 as Japan’s next-generation fighter, relaxing the three arms export principles, and announcing a decision to join negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership – all of which demonstrated Tokyo’s readiness to revive the economy and strengthen security ties and capabilities.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3 - US-Korea

bMizuno — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s state visit to the US attested to the strength of the relationship and the personal ties between Presidents Obama and Lee. The timely passage of the KORUS FTA in the US was the big deliverable for the summit.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3 - Japan-China

bMizuno — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Noda Yoshiko became prime minister of Japan in early September and met President Hu Jintao at the G20 Summit and the APEC meeting. On both occasions, they agreed to take steps to strengthen the mutually beneficial strategic relationship – and again during Noda’s visit to China at the end of December.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3 - Japan-Korea

bMizuno — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The close of 2011 was dominated by two leadership changes – the mid-December death of Kim Jong Il and the election of Noda Yoshihiko in September. Kim’s death is a watershed event that could have repercussions around the region. South Korea and Japan reacted cautiously to the news of Kim’s death and the rise of his son, Kim Jong Un.

Critical Questions for 2012

ian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

From international security and regional study to global challenges, CSIS experts will address many of the world's most difficult policy concerns and critical questions in 2012. To kick off the new year, we asked 25 of our scholars to identity what worries them most and what are the biggest opportunities in their respective areas of study.

Japan Chair Platform: Time to Acknowledge the Realignment Impasse

sherry — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba and U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton recently reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to an agreement to build a Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) in northern Okinawa and relocate over 8,000 Marines to Guam. Despite this high-level reaffirmation, the agreement is no longer workable.

Japan Chair Platform: Operation Tomodachi in Miyagi Prefecture: Success and Homework

ecurran — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

On March 11, 2011, at 2:46 p.m., a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Miyagi Prefecture and generated a tsunami that advanced more than three miles inland from the seashore.

Issues & Insights Vol. 11 - No. 14

bMizuno — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The Pacific Forum CSIS brought together a select group of Japanese and US security specialists for the fourth time to discuss the changing strategic environment in East Asia and the nature of extended deterrence.

Japanese version>>

Japan Chair Platform: Reflections on Health Reconstruction in Japan after 3-11

ecurran — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

On November 3, 2011, CSIS released a report, Partnership for Recovery and a Stronger Future: Standing with Japan after 3-11, summarizing the findings of a task force established to examine ways the United States can partner with Japan in the process of recovery from the tragedies of March 11, 2011 (http://csis.

Issues & Insights Vol. 11 - No. 12

bMizuno — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Compared to April last year, when we met to discuss issues surrounding our alliance, the state of the US-Japan alliance is much improved. In the first half of 2010, our alliance was at rock bottom.

History and Asia

jdunton — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

History matters in international relations. At the inter-state level, history plays an important role in how a country relates to its neighboring countries or develops and manages its relationship with other countries.

Japan Chair Platform: Can Noda Survive?

ian — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Two months have passed since Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s inauguration. Despite his initial obscurity among Japanese voters, Noda has skillfully built up popular support by emphasizing his humble stance and honest personality and has managed to launch his cabinet safely. However, the real test awaits him ahead.

PacNet #63 - Japan Needs the TPP

bMizuno — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko has chosen to confront his country’s powerful agricultural sector and the politicians that represent it and push for Japanese entrance into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Given Japan’s broader economic interests, there is no question that Japan needs the TPP.

Partnership for Recovery and a Stronger Future

jdunton — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

When a magnitude 9.0 earthquake shook the earth beneath the Western Pacific on March 11, 2011, it unleashed a massive nine-meter tsunami toward the coast of the Tohoku region of Japan’s main island of Honshu.

How Can Japan's DPC Inpatient Hospital Payment System Be Strengthened?

jdunton — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

This report by Dr. Gerard Anderson and Dr. Naoki Ikegami analyzes how Japan can strengthen its Diagnostic Procedure Combination (DPC) inpatient hospital payment system. Given the one-year time constraint in the design of Japan’s DPC system, a variety of compromises were made in order to satisfy the involved parties.

PacNet #59 - Better Japan-China Ties Depend on Beijing

bMizuno — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

On Sept. 2 when newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko, stated that Japanese-Chinese relations should become “win-win” relations, he expressed his strong intention to improve the countries’ bilateral ties. Since the ugly conflicts over the Senkaku Islands in September last year, Tokyo-Beijing relations have remained strained.

Issues & Insights Vol. 11 - No. 11

bMizuno — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) and the Pacific Forum CSIS were pleased and honored to again co-host the 17th annual Japan-US Security Seminar on March 25-26, 2011. This year’s seminar convened under trying circumstances.

PacNet #57 - Social Media: Building Mutual Trust Between China and Japan

bMizuno — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Social media offers a powerful platform for building mutual trust and understanding; used effectively, it could help change, for the better, Japan’s image among the Chinese.

PacNet #54 - It Takes Two to have "Win-Win" Relations

bMizuno — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japan wants “win-win relations” with Asia, declared newly elected Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko on Aug. 30. While he is known for his conservative views, he has toned down his hawkishness toward China and tried to bury the hatchet. Now, it is up to Beijing to decide whether it wants to dig up discontents of the past.

PacNet #52 - Comparative Connections Summaries

bMizuno — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Regional Overview: Rays of Hope?
US-Japan Relations: Kicking the Kan down the Road
US-China Relations: Friction and Cooperation Co-exist Uneasily
US-Korea Relations: A Return to Dialogue
US-Southeast Asia Relations: Deep in South China Sea Diplomacy

Comparative Connections v.13 n.2 - US-Japan

bMizuno — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Kan Naoto resigned as prime minister on Aug. 26 after promising to step aside almost three months earlier amid dissension within his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and dwindling public support after a clumsy response to the tragedies of March 11.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.2 - Japan-China

bMizuno — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Private-sector contacts kept the bilateral relationship afloat while high-level official contact began to re-engage. Defense ministers met in June in Singapore and foreign ministers met in July in Beijing. In each instance, they agreed on the importance of advancing the strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.2 - Japan-Korea

bMizuno — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The triple tragedy in Japan overshadowed all other regional events in the first four months of 2011. The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in March shone a spotlight on a country that had long been seen as an economic powerhouse.

PacNet #51 - Taking Stock of Japan Six Months After 3/11

bMizuno — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

As Sept. 11 nears, the US prepares to remember the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC. For Japan, the date marks six months since the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit. While Japan continues to grapple with a multitude of problems unleashed by the disasters, coverage of Japan’s daily struggles has all but disappeared from global media.

Japan Chair Platform: Funding Japan's Recovery: The Centrality of Recovery Bonds

sherry — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Four months after the Tohoku region in Japan was struck by the triple disasters (earthquake, tsunami, and radiation leakage) of March 11, the Japanese government finally disclosed the overall reconstruction plan to the public on July 29. Total reconstruction costs were estimated at ¥23 trillion ($288 billion ) including ¥10 trillion ($125 billion) for issuing recovery bonds.

Addressing Japan's Healthcare Challenges with Information Technology

jdunton — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japan is facing the long-term policy challenge of an aging society, which requires increasing amounts of healthcare, both high acuity care and long-term chronic care.

PacNet #48 - 'Safe Choice' May Be the Wrong Choice

bMizuno — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Former Finance Minister Noda Yoshihiko is the new prime minister of Japan. Noda is something of an anomaly: one of those self-deprecating politicians – he likens himself to a “loach,” a scavenger that is kin to the catfish – who commands respect for having a steady hand and even temperament.

Japan's New Prime Minister

sherry — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: Who is Japan’s new prime minister?

PacNet #47 - Gloomy Outlook for Japan-China Relations after the DPJ Ballot

bMizuno — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Kan Naoto has resigned. The ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) will hold a presidential election Aug. 29 to replace him; the winner will become the next prime minister of Japan. The new prime minister will face many challenges; among his foreign policy priorities is getting the Japan-China relationship back on track.

U.S.-Japan-India Strategic Dialogue 2011

sherry — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Recognizing the strategic potential for expanding cooperation on regional and global challenges and the shared values among the United States, Japan, and India, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in collaboration with Aspen Institute India, and the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) initiated the U.S.-Japan-India S

PacNet #44 - SDF's New Anti-Piracy Base Creates a Dilemma

bMizuno — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) opened their first overseas air base since the end of World War II in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, on July 1. The base is intended to beef up Japan’s anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.

PacNet #43 - U.S.-Japan Joint Vision Statement

bMizuno — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The following is a collaborative statement written by American and Japanese Pacific Forum Young Leaders who attended the 17th U.S.-Japan Security Seminar in San Francisco, in March 2011. An official Joint Vision statement is long overdue.

Japan Chair Platform: How Kan Will Step Down: Naoto Kan’s Resignation and New Developments in Japanese Politics

sherry — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The vague resignation announcement of Prime Minister Naoto Kan on June 2—in which he signaled his intention to step down but offered no timeline—was unlikely a surprise for many in Japan and the United States.

PacNet #34 - The Risks of 'Disaster Nationalism'

bMizuno — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

A common sight seen throughout Japan these days are signs that read Ganbaro Nippon (translated “Don’t give up Japan”). It has become the battle cry among Japanese for dealing with the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake-triggered disasters.

Japan Chair Platform: Turning Disaster into Opportunity

sherry — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japan is struggling in the face of a tough and complex crisis involving an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant accident.

Capacity and Resolve

jdunton — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The last decade has seen the United States involved in two wars, an ongoing worldwide struggle against terrorism, and more recently a severe economic recession. This period has exposed two great structural challenges facing the United States. First, in a globalized world, vectors of prosperity quickly become vectors of insecurity. And second, the center of gravity in world affairs is shifting to Asia.

Japan Chair Platform: Questioning the Senators' Proposal on U.S. Force Realignment in Japan

sherry — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Prime Minister Naoto Kan of Japan may have survived a recent no-confidence vote, but his long-term survival as premier remains tenuous. Focused on domestic politics and the country’s reconstruction efforts, it is increasingly likely that Kan will not visit the United States for a summit meeting scheduled for September.

Reassuring Presence: Japanese Assessments of U.S. Power

ian — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japan has historically been highly attuned to the distribution of power in the international system. For almost two millennia, Japanese strategy has been to bandwagon with the world’s leading power while seeking greater freedom of maneuver within Asia. Until the eighteenth century that power was China.

Nuclear Governance after Fukushima

ian — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and killed tens of thousands of people resulted in partial core meltdowns at three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Although the plants shut down properly, off-site electricity was interrupted and back-up generators failed.

Nuclear Power after Fukushima

ian — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Japan’s tragic March 11 earthquake and tsunami have triggered the most serious nuclear emergency in 25 years and have raised questions about the future viability of nuclear power in the energy system around the world.

A Partnership for Recovery

ian — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, reminded the world that even the most developed nations are not immune from nature’s wrath. The triple catastrophe took more than 14,000 lives, and estimates of total damage range from $250 billion to $600 billion.

PacNet #29 - Pressure builds for US Shift on Okinawa

bMizuno — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Pressure is growing on the Obama administration to significantly alter plans for US Marine basing arrangements on Okinawa, but chances seem slim for a policy shift at least until Defense Secretary Robert Gates departs office late next month.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.1 - US-Japan

bMizuno — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that struck Japan March 11 tested the leadership credentials of the Kan government and the alliance coordination during simultaneous crises.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.1 - Japan-China

bMizuno — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Old problems – the Senkaku fishing boat incident, the East China Sea, and China’s increasing maritime activities in waters off Japan – persisted in early 2011. Efforts by Japan to keep lines of communication open with China’s leadership included a visit to China by members of the Diet and Japan’s senior vice minister for foreign affairs.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.1 - Japan-Korea

bMizuno — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

PacNet #28 - Comparative Connections Summaries

bMizuno — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Regional Overview: Shaking the Foundations
US-Japan Relations: Responding to Multiple Crises
US-China Relations: Pomp and Substance: Hu's State Visit to the US
US-Korea Relations: Under the Shadow of 2010

US-Japan-ROK Nuclear Dialogue Track 2 Statement

ian — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In the summer of 2010, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) Center for the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (CPDNP), and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies joined to form a Track 2 nuclear dialogue between the United States (US), Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

PacNet #26 - Japan Unlikely to Redirect Defense Policy

bMizuno — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The tripartite earthquake, tsunami, nuclear disaster in Japan has security analysts scrambling to determine the repercussions of these tragic events for the region and world.