Japan Archive

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is well-known for being firm toward Pyongyang and demonstrating solidarity with Washington. More than any other politician, he has made retrieving Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea his political mission. Moreover, during his summit with President Barack Obama in January he declared, “The trust and the bond in our alliance is back.” But something happened last week that seems unlike Abe. Isao Iijima, a special adviser to the prime minister, made a secret trip to Pyongyang for reasons unknown, although many are speculating he is trying to advance dialogue on resolving the abduction issue and […]

Taiwan and Japan recently signed an important East China Sea fishing rights agreement after 17 years of negotiations. More than anything, the deal represents a striking concession from Japan. Since 1996, Japan had attempted to prevent Taiwanese fishing boats from entering its claimed exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles from the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, which are known as the Diaoyutai in Taiwan. Taiwanese fisherman have a long history of working the waters surrounding the Senkakus. The Taiwan government also claims that sovereignty of the islands reverted to the Republic of China (ROC), as the Taipei-based government is formally […]

South Korean President Park Geun-hye is currently in the United States, her first foreign visit since assuming office. Park will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House, attend a special dinner to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korean alliance and address a joint session of Congress, among other activities. She will also travel to New York and Los Angeles, but not to other countries, underscoring the trip’s significance. The visit signals Park’s desire to reaffirm the policy of her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, who made relations with the United States his highest priority. That helped bilateral […]

In mid-April, Japan and Vietnam vowed to expand their defense cooperation during an official visit by Vietnam’s army chief to Tokyo. In an email interview, Corey Wallace, a teaching fellow at the University of Auckland who studies international security and Japan’s regional relations, explained the development of the Japan-Vietnam defense relationship and what it means for each country’s tensions with China. WPR: What has been the recent history of Japan-Vietnam defense cooperation? Corey Wallace: While official defense connections began developing when Vietnam joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a key turning point for the defense relationship came in 2010. […]