Articles

Fumio Kishida, newly elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party

The 49th general election of members of the House of Representatives in Japan (Lower House) was held on 31 October 2021, as required by the Constitution of Japan. Voting took place in all Representatives constituencies including proportional blocks, ....

November 03, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , QUAD , shinzo abe , COVID-19 , LDP , Yoshihide Suga , Diet , Fumio Kishida , CDPH , JCP , new capitalism , Shintaro Nishihara

Floodgates Open in Japanese Politics after Suga’s Exit

Prof Rajaram Panda Article

In a surprise announcement on 3 September, days after Tokyo Olympics 2020 ended, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that he will not run in the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election scheduled for 29 September. This means ....

September 08, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , Coronavirus , House of Representatives , Yoshihide Suga , Taro Kono , Fumio Kishida , Shigeru Ishiba , Yoshiro Mori , Sanae Takaichi , vaccination , revolving-door’ prime ministers , regicide

Why it is Important for Japan to hold Olympic Games 2021

Dr Anil Rawat Article

Had it not been for the COVID-19 and Abe Shizo’s ill health, Tokyo Olympic 2020¹ would have been a crowning glory on the political career of modern Japan’s most consequential Prime Minister. Alas! That was not to be. Showcasing Japan a....

July 16, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , technology , shinzo abe , COVID-19 , Yoshihide Suga , Civilisational goals , Japan's vision

Japan’s Four-day Workweek Proposal Unlikely to Work

Prof Rajaram Panda Article

Japan and Japanese are known for their famously workaholic corporate culture. There are cases in which companies have forced employees to put extra hours, thereby driving some to commit suicide and giving rise to the word karoshi or “death from ove....

July 07, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , Coronavirus , Abe Shinzo , Yoshihide Suga , karoshi , four-day workweek , Womenomics , OECD , top-down system , corporate culture , Microsoft

The 8th ADMM Plus Meeting: Major Takeaways

Prof Rajaram Panda Article

Introduction

The 15th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and the 8th ASEAN Plus Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM+) was hosted by this year’s ASEAN Chair Brunei Darussalam from 15-16 June, wherein a number of conceptual documents ....

June 25, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , Rajnath Singh , ASEAN , South China Sea , FATF , Maritime Security , UNCLOS , Senkaku Islands , Yoshihide Suga , EEZ , ADMM+ , “full acess” , freedom of navigation and over-flight

A Case for Tokyo Olympics Cancellation

Prof Rajaram Panda Article

At the time of writing, the Tokyo Olympics are on but there is a strong case for its cancellation in view of the extraordinary situation before it is too late as lives are at stake. The ferocity of the rampaging pandemic shows no signs of ebbing out ....

June 09, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , Coronavirus , Pandemic , Tokyo Olympics , Yoshihide Suga , Seiko Hashimoto , IOA , super-spreader , Kosuke Takahashi , Taro Kono , Thomas Bach , Sir Keith Mills

Yoshihide Suga’s Tryst with India

Dr Anil Rawat Article

When Prime Minster Abe Shinzo laid down his office in August 2020 rather suddenly it sent shock waves of anxiety among most Japan watchers, policy planners and the political elite in India. Everyone wondered as to what could be the future of this bur....

April 27, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Article , India , China , QUAD , Japan , shinzo abe , Yoshihide Suga , Free & Open Indo-Pacific

Explained: Suga-Biden Summit - Strengthening Alliance

Prof Rajaram Panda Article

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was the first foreign leader to travel to the US on 16 April in this time of pandemic to meet the US President Joe Biden. This was also Suga’s first visit to the US as Prime Minister though he had earlier vis....

April 26, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , US , Article , South China Sea , Joe Biden , Senkaku Islands , Yoshihide Suga , pandemics , Taiwan Straits , flash point , Muslim Uighurs , Self-Defense Forces , summit meeting

Japan’s Dilemma in Dealing with the Junta in Myanmar

Prof Rajaram Panda Article

Introduction

The military takeover of the democratically elected government and the dubious civilian-military power sharing agreement has been criticised by the global community. At a time when Myanmar was navigating through its nascent d....

March 03, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Neighbourhood Studies , Myanmar , Article , sanctions , Abe Shinzo , Yoshihide Suga , Foreign Assistance Act , Chinese Coast Guard vessels , Yasuhide Nakayama , National Defense Academy , ODA.

2021: The Year Ahead for Japan

Prerna Gandhi, Associate Fellow, VIF Commentary

Although 2020 remained a challenging year for Japan due to the coronavirus pandemic, 2021 offers no alleviation from the existent troubles. The year started with a second month-long emergency, albeit a soft lockdown limited to the nation's capital an....

January 20, 2021 International Relations and Diplomacy , Commentary , India , Australia , Climate Change , Japan , Vietnam , Tokyo Olympics , Biden , Yoshihide Suga , Lower House Elections , Digital Agency , Senkakus