Japan-based academic Zhang Yun notes that despite the political rivalry between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the late Shinzo Abe, they were political partners that needed each other. With Abe’s demise, will Kishida be able to rein in the other factions of the Liberal Democratic Party and rebuild a unified order within the party and in the government?
Politics
Politics
Since the Cold War, one of the most common methods used by the US to reprimand “authoritarian” or “irresponsible” countries is to impose economic sanctions. However, the economic sanctions imposed on North Korea, Iran and Russia over the past decades have not seemed to work, nor have any of these countries given in to the US. Japan-based academic Zhang Yun analyses why sanctions have lost their hold on these countries, and why the US is still keen to use them as a coercion tool.
Politics
Recent comments by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have people speculating if Japan is taking a more hawkish stance on Taiwan. Japan-based academic Zhang Yun explains that this is a combination of factional politics between the liberal-leaning Kochikai faction led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the neo-conservatives within the LDP, as well as the dynamics of Japan’s relationship with the US and China. With the 50th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic ties between Japan and China taking place next year, will the Taiwan card be further in play?
Politics
Fumio Kishida became the new Japanese prime minister despite a relatively weak political base. This shows that factional politics within the Liberal Democratic Party still provided some measure of stability in influencing outcomes. However, public opinion has landed on the side of wanting a leader with the gumption and vision to implement reforms and improve the plight of the Japanese people. But will this new administration be a force for change as the people want, or will the Japanese government go back to the days of having a new prime minister each year? Japan-based academic Zhang Yun takes us through.
Politics
Japan-based academic Zhang Yun observes that even as big countries take the spotlight in international relations, they can learn a thing or two from the way small countries see the world and conduct their foreign policy.
Politics
The Quad comprising US, Japan, Australia, and India is still in its early days. Some fear it could become an “Asian NATO” targeting China, but how likely is this, given the region’s history of multilateralism in the security arena? Japan-based academic Zhang Yun examines the issue.
Economy
The conclusion of the EU-UK Trade Cooperation Agreement and the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) in the last days of 2020 sent a strong signal that the EU will not wait for the US to resume a leading role in the world economic order. Building partnerships with countries like China are just the impetus the EU needs to deepen integration and build better prospects for itself. In this move away from a US-centric view of the economic order, the EU is not alone.
Economy
With the recent signing of the RCEP and China’s comment that it will “favourably consider” joining the CPTPP, are prospects looking up for greater domestic reform and regional economic integration across the board, and will dreams of a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific have a higher chance of eventually taking shape? Japan-based academic Zhang Yun looks at the potential outlook.
Politics
Intellectual elites in the US have traditionally played a key role in the way the country conducts international relations, and have guided the US government in shaping is foreign policy. However, the US's words and actions about China-US relations and the coronavirus seem to suggest that it has fallen prey to anti-intellectualism, with rationality and long-term vision thrown away. Japan-based academic Zhang Yun examines the issue and finds out if there is indeed cause for concern.