ISDP Voices

With the resignation of Abe Shinzô coming as somewhat of a surprise to most, we speak to our Distinguished Fellow Dr. Lars Vargö to seek an understanding of Abe’s legacy and who could take up the role of Japan’s next prime minister. What was the reason behind Prime Minister Abe Shinzô’s resignation? His resignation can […]

On July 23, 2020, U.S. Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, called upon the international community to unite against a new threat – the “global tyranny” of China. In his speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California, he proposed the creation of a new alliance of democratic governments to counteract Chinese activities […]

In June 2020 Beijing announced a 15-year ecological protection plan, part of a wider drive in China to press ahead with nation-wide environmental protection ambitions. Maintaining and expanding the country’s forest coverage has been a concern for policymakers. It is evident that the Chinese government is determined to follow through with its environmental policy aspirations, […]

China’s environmental problems are well propagated. In 2019, the most dangerous air pollutants in Beijing were at concentration levels four times higher than the World Health Organizations deems safe for human tolerance; at least 60 percent of the country’s groundwater has been declared of “bad” or “very bad” quality since 2013; and two thirds of […]

In recent years Japan has begun to be considered as something of a “space power”, with its technological advancements in key areas such as robotics being a key contributing factor. Since 2008, the Japanese government has sought to develop its space policy as a national strategy. Its outer space aspirations are tied within the framework […]

The crisis surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed many pre-existing difficulties in Japanese work culture, some of which are inadvertently contributing to the spread of the virus in the country. Working overtime and socializing with colleagues and clients have long been considered a sign of social competence but the crisis has now led many to […]

Two years ago, in Singapore on June 12, we were invited to suspend disbelief as we watched the first ever meeting between incumbent leaders of the United States and North Korea – a relationship long characterized by enmity and distrust. Just months before, both countries had appeared on a war footing.  While the theatrics around […]

According to the National Security Strategy (NSS) announced by the Shinzo Abe administration in December 2013, it was noted that the security environment surrounding Japan was becoming even more severe, and “cyber-attacks” were recognized as one of the new threats to the peace and security of Japan. The NSS reported that risks of cyber-attacks to […]

With much talk about Japan currently centering on its response to the coronavirus pandemic, news of high-tech advances in the country’s military technology have largely flown under the radar. Tokyo’s drive for home-grown hypersonic weapons took on further shape in early 2020 when more concrete details emerged from the Research and Development agency in charge. […]

Introduction  As of May 06, 2020, over 15,253 people in Japan have been infected with COVID-19, and 556 individuals have passed away. The Shinzo Abe government has tackled the spread of the virus by quarantining the Diamond Princess cruise ship (which at the beginning of its quarantine had ten infected people on board), calling for […]