Japan Trends

  • After America: What Middle Powers Can Still Build

    Iran ceasefire talks are now beginning. Had the war continued, Iran’s retaliation might well have threatened the very survival of Gulf civilization itself, while also exposing the limits of U.S. military power and potentially bringing an end to America’s unipolar dominance. The ceasefire has, at least for now, bought everyone some breathing room. . Even so, this latest attack on…

  • Miscellaneous Thoughts on the Osaka Economy

    (This is an old article of mine dated June of 2005. But it still holds some relevance for understanding the nature of Japan’s and Osaka’s economy. Osaka has been the center of Japan’s commerce and industrry) . The following are the ideas that came across my mind during my business trip to Osaka from May 26 to 28 of 2005.…

  • Should Japan go nuclear or can it?

    (Currently Japan’s prime minister TAKAICHI Sanae is in Washington D.C., an official visit long planned. During the meeting with President Trump, discussions are likely to cover not only the current situation regarding Iran but also the future direction of the Japan-U.S. alliance in the Asia-Pacific region. For reference, I have posted below my own article on Japan’s nuclear armament. While…

  • How to Survive Trump’s Armageddon

    For some time now, analysts have been pointing to the possible end of the U.S.-led postwar order. With the Strait of Hormuz now facing the risk of closure, global stock markets, oil prices, and other indicators are swinging wildly. The atmosphere feels almost apocalyptic. ・ History shows many moments when an existing system of security and economic stability suddenly collapsed.…

  • Japan Is Richer Than Its GDP Suggests

    (This essay first appeared in Newsweek Japan in 2011. The basic situation has not changed very much since then, so I am reposting it here. I plan to update the argument soon—although the U.S. or even the global economy might collapse before I get the chance.) ・ These days I often hear Japanese friends complain, “Japan has become poor.” When…

  • Dialogue with the Late Professor Joseph Nye

    (This essay was originally written in March 2025. Since then, Professor Joseph Nye has passed away. The issues discussed here, however, remain urgent. I have therefore updated and reposted it.) On February 25, 2025, I read in Newsweek Japan an article by Joseph Nye, the architect of the concept of “soft power,” titled “Why America Holds the Advantage in a…

  • Japan Will Not Turn Hawkish—Despite a Landslide for the Takaichi LDP

    / On February 8, Japan held a general election for the House of Representatives. Although the chamber still had nearly three years left in its term, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi—who had herself been chosen by parliament only last October—declared that she wanted to seek a direct mandate from the public and dissolved the lower house. Under Japan’s Constitution, the prime…

  • On the Restarting of This Blog

    This blog existed for approximately 20 years until December of 2024. After being offline for a year. Now it is restarted with the help of the Urban Connections Inc. team. The reason for its disappearance, as noted at the end, was due to technical factors. / Past data, as of November 29, 2023, has been preserved by the National Diet…