Celebrating Destruction
Our wartime commemorations are the functional equivalent of mounting the heads of our victims on pikes. Are we surprised that others celebrate bloodshed when we do the same?
Pivotal Election in Okinawa
Okinawans are going to the polls to register their opposition to a military base plan supported by both Tokyo and Washington.
With a Lot of Help from Our Friends
U.S. military strategy in Northeast Asia is relying on ever more contributions from our allies.
Resolving the China-Japan Conflict Over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands
On September 7 Japanese patrol boats intercepted a Chinese fishing trawler near Kubashima, one of the Senkaku [Chinese: Diaoyu] Islands in the East China Sea.
Clash of the East Asian Titans
China and Japan are at loggerheads. As columnist Conn Hallinan explains, rising nationalism and persistent U.S. militarism lie behind the crisis.
Starting Where North Korea Is
A new approach needs to be taken if we’re going to achieve progress in Northeast Asia.
Panel Discussion: Military Spending in Northeast Asia
The world spent $1.5 trillion on the military in 2008. Nearly 70 percent of that money was spent by the countries involved in the Six Party Talks (United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea). The region of Northeast Asia is full of conflict. It is also full of the world’s most sophisticated weapons. And all of the countries are adding to these arsenals every day.
North Korea: Journalists vs. Diplomats
Effective engagement doesn’t always translate into a good news story.
Revolution in Japan
Japan is on the verge of a political revolution, and the ripples might transform Asia as well.
After the Sunshine Generation
The death of Kim Dae Jung, the suicide of Roh Moo Hyun, and the illness of Kim Jong Il all point to the end of a generation committed to North-South engagement.
North Korea’s ‘Papillon’
The test of a first-rate policy toward North Korea is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time — the horror of the labor camps and the imperative of political engagement — and still retain the ability to function.
Dealing with North Korea’s Tests
Coming up with the proper response to North Korea’s recent actions requires a careful assessment of Pyongyang motivations and regional geopolitics.
Outsourcing North Korea Policy
Washington can’t rely on Beijing to clean up this mess.
Korean Tragedies
North Korea’s nuclear test and Roh Moo-Hyun’s suicide have both cast a shadow on inter-Korean cooperation. But engagement is needed now more than ever.
The G-2 Paradox
China and the United States should definitely be talking more about economic and environmental issues. But they also need to talk about reducing their military spending and avoiding a new cold war.