Comments

[Government and Policy] [Information and Research] [News] [Papers]

~ 2001 ; 2002-2004 ; 2005

Government and Policy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs very useful site

Foreign Policy Page Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

House of Councilors (National Diet of Japan, Sangi-in)

House of Representatives (National Diet of Japan, Shugi-in)

The Constitution of Japan English translated version

Japan-China Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan

Overview - Japan-ASEAN Relations

Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations Japan's position on issues, Japan's Policy and Press Releases

Information and Research

NIRA (National Institute for Research Advancement, Japan)

Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)

Japanese Journal Information Web

The National Security-Archive U.S.-Japan Project Papers on diplomatic, security, and economic relations between the U.S. and Japan

Japan Center for International Exchange (A nonprofit and non-governmental institution, Japan)

Japan Policy Research Institute (JPRI) U.S.-Japan relationship and its implications for the Pacific Rim

Japan Economic Institute of America (JEI) information on Japanese economy, politics, foreign policy and U.S.-Japan relations

Kyodo News Web

Japan Times

Japan PM Says Wants Friendly Ties with China
(Reuters, Dec. 28, 2005) Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Wednesday he would strive to develop friendly ties with China in 2006, after a year in which relations with that country hit their lowest in decades.

China: Japan Stance on Taiwan, History Sours Ties
(China Daily, Dec. 28, 2005) Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said yesterday Japan's wrong words and actions toward the issues of Taiwan and history are the major factors leading to the poor sentiment between the people of China and Japan.

Japanese Feel Unfriendly to PRC
(AFP, Dec. 26, 2005) Japan's opinion of China is at its lowest level in more than 25 years, according to a poll that was published at the weekend that showed less than one in three people felt friendly towards their giant neighbor.

Japan Backs Joint US Missile Plan
(BBC, Dec. 25, 2005) Japan has approved a joint missile defence programme with the US. The project aims to produce an advanced version of the US system, which seeks to destroy incoming missiles before they reach their targets.

China's Military a Danger: Japan
(AP, Dec. 22, 2005) China's expanding military budget represents a danger and is fueling suspicion among other nations, Kyodo News agency quoted Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso as saying.

China Cancels Meeting with Japan in Shrine Row
(AFP, Dec. 9, 2005) China has pulled out of a meeting of foreign ministers with Japan and South Korea, blaming Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's "arrogance" over a controversial war shrine.

Japanese Minister Raps China, S. Korea over Shrine
(Reuters, Nov. 27, 2005) Japan's foreign minister criticized China and South Korea for protesting against Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to a Tokyo shrine for the war dead.

Japan's Draft Charter Redefines Military
(Washington Post, November 23, 2005) The governing Liberal Democratic Party released a draft revision of Japan's pacifist constitution that for the first time since World War II would recognize the country's armed forces as a fully functioning military.

Japan Tired of China Playing the 'History Card'
(Straits Times, Nov. 17, 2005) “The Hu administration is basically not anti-Japan. It wants good relations with Japan. But the Chinese Communist Party will want to maintain a basically anti-Japan posture so as to give itself continued legitimacy.”

Japan on Alert over Chinese Jets
(BBC, Nov. 10, 2005) Japan has scrambled fighter jets to see off what it believes were Chinese military planes 30 times in the last six months, according to officials.

The Politics of Assigning a Nuclear Carrier to Japan By Richard Halloran (Japan Times, Nov. 9, 2005) The easy part of newly assigning a U.S. aircraft carrier to Japan, which was to persuade the Japanese to accept a nuclear-powered vessel, has been accomplished. Now comes the hard part: deciding which one of 10 carriers should be based in the port of Yokosuka.

Asian Stability Hinges on Japanese Isolation By Christoph Bertram
(Taipei Times, Nov. 1, 2005) Japan's isolation increases its dependency on its only ally the US, and undermines the fragile chance of developing a framework in Asia to address future regional crises in a spirit of cooperation rather than confrontation and rivalry.

U.S. and Japan Agree to Strengthen Military Ties
(NYT, Oct. 30, 2005) The United States and Japan announced a sweeping agreement to reshape their military alliance, including the reduction of marines on Okinawa and the construction of a new generation of radar equipment in Japan as part of a missile defense system.

U.S. Nuclear Carrier to Be Based in Japan
(Reuters, Oct. 28, 2005) The United States will base a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Japan for the first time starting in 2008 after Japan dropped long-standing resistance to the move.

U.S. and Japan Agree on Plan to Relocate Okinawa Air Base
(New York Times, Oct. 27, 2005) The United States and Japan agreed on a plan today to relocate a major American air base on the southern island of Okinawa, removing the biggest obstacle to talks on the redeployment of American troops across the country.

Japan-China Oil Dispute Escalates
(WP, Oct. 22, 2005) China has completed at least one new drilling platform in the East China Sea and may already be tapping into hotly contested natural gas and oil fields, escalating a dispute with Japan.

Japanese PM Visits Tokyo War Shrine
(AP, Oct. 17, 2005) Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi prayed at a Tokyo shrine honoring the country's war dead, defying critics who say the visits glorify militarism and risking a further deterioration in relations with China and South Korea.

China Wants to Resolve UN Dispute with Japan
(Reuters, Oct. 16, 2005) China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told a Japanese official that Beijing wants talks to resolve a dispute over Tokyo's pursuit of a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.

Call to Jointly Develop East China Sea Gas and Oil Fields
(Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 3, 2005) Fearful that China will suck up precious natural resources, Japan is proposing joint development of oil and gas fields close to a median line between the two countries in the East China Sea.

Chinese Ships on Standby in Disputed Waters
(Straits Times, Sep. 30, 2005) China yesterday said it has put naval ships on standby in the disputed East China Sea area whose gas and oil deposits are also claimed by Japan.

Japanese Court Rules PM's Shrine Visit Unconstitutional
(AFP, Sep. 30, 20050 A Japanese court ruled that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to a controversial war shrine violated the constitution, in a moral victory for victims of Japan's war-time aggression.

Japan's Military Draws Plans to Counter Attack by China
(Reuters, Sep. 27, 2005) Japan's military has drawn up a defense plan that maps out responses to possible Chinese attacks against Japan, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

Japan, China to Hold Talks on Gas Drilling
(AP, Sep. 22, 2005) Japan and China will meet to settle a feud over claims to undersea oil and gas deposits in disputed waters following Japan's protests over new drilling activity by China in the area.

Chinese Warships Make Show of Force at Protested Gas Rig
(Japan Times, Sep. 10, 2005) Five Chinese naval ships, including a guided-missile destroyer, were spotted Friday morning near the Chunxiao gas field in the East China Sea, where Japan and China have a dispute over demarcation.

Japan Polls Won't Lead to Better China Ties
(Straits Times, Sep. 8, 2005) Japan's upcoming election is unlikely to bring any promise of better ties with China, as the political relationship between the two powers hits a record low.

Government Wants Mechanism for Talks with U.S., Japan
(CNA, Sep. 4, 2005) The government is pushing for the establishment of a regular high-level communication and dialogue mechanism with the United States and Japan, President Chen Shui-bian's chief of staff revealed.

Tokyo Teacher Is Punished for Pacifist Stance By Anthony Faiola
(Washington Post, Aug. 30, 2005) As Japan has observed the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific this month, nationalist political leaders have gained prominence advocating a stronger role for Japan in the world.

Taiwan, Japan Lawmakers to Meet Regularly on Security Issues (CNA, Aug. 27, 2005) A convener of the Legislative Yuan's Defense Committee said that its counterparts in the Japanese Diet have agreed to have regular exchanges of visits.

Japan Coastguard Hopes to Build Lighthouse on Islet Disputed with China (AFP, Aug. 24, 2004) Japan's coastguard says it hopes to build a lighthouse on a remote atoll in the Pacific in a move that could reinforce the country's claim in a territorial dispute with China.

DPP Clarifies Stance on Taiwan's Era as a Colony of Japan
(CNA, Aug. 16, 2005) The Democratic Progressive Party termed Japan's 1895 to 1945 rule of Taiwan as "colonial and aggressive," stressing that from Taiwan's point of view, the island was indeed "occupied" during that period.

Japan Says China Is Drilling for Gas in Disputed Area
(AP, Aug. 11, 2005) The Japanese government suspects China has begun drilling gas in the East China Sea along a disputed sea border, and has asked Beijing to stop, officials said.

Poll: Asia Unworried by Japan
(CNN.com, Aug. 5, 2005) Asians are generally supportive of their neighbors' economic and political advancement, although the support is not unanimous, according to the latest findings of a CNN/Time poll.

Japan’s Defense Report Raises Concerns About Chinese Military (Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 2, 2005) The fiscal 2005 white paper on defense expressed serious concerns about China's military buildup, warning that Beijing's activities could tip its military balance with Taiwan.

President Chen Calls for Closer Taiwan-Japan Ties
(CNA, July 27, 2005) President Chen Shui-bian said he believes that the more firmly Japan sticks to its guns, the higher the esteem in which China would hold Japan.

Japan's Defense Chief Given Missile-Intercept Role
(Japan Times, July 23, 2005) The Diet enacted a revised law that allows the Defense Agency chief to order emergency missile interceptions without waiting for approval from the prime minister and the Cabinet.

China Protests Japanese Move in E.China Sea
(Reuters, July 15, 2005) China strongly protested against what it said was an infringement of its sovereign rights and interests in the East China Sea after Japan granted rights to a firm to test drill for gas near disputed waters.

Anti-Japan Feelings Run High Among China Young-Poll
(Reuters, July 6, 2005) More than half of China's young hate or dislike Japan despite the fact that most of them have never even met a Japanese person, a new poll suggests.

China Seizes Books That Show Separate Taiwan
(Reuters, June 29, 2005) Chinese Customs officials recently seized textbooks headed for a Japanese school in China because they objected to the way maps in the books depicted Taiwan as a separate entity from mainland China.

Taiwan Eyes Joint Management of Overlapping Economic Zones (CNA, June 22, 2005) Taiwan will suggest that Japan shelf their conflicting sovereignty claims to waters where the two countries' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone overlap and jointly manage them.

Hsieh Calls for Calm on Diaoyutais
(Taipei Times, June 20, 2005) Premier Frank Hsieh yesterday called for calm amid mounting tensions between Taiwan and Japan caused by recent fishing disputes and conflict over the Diaoyutai islands.

Fishermen Threaten to Seize Intruding Japanese Fishing Boats (China Post, June 17, 2005) Fishermen in Suao yesterday threatened to seize any Japanese fishing boats intruding into Taiwan's exclusive economic zone starting June 21.

Fishermen Urged to Forget Plan of Flying China's Flag
(Taipei Times, June 16, 2005) Japan has chased away or confiscated more fishing boats from China than from Taiwan, a Cabinet spokesman said in response to fishermen's plan to disguise themselves.

Taiwan Aborigines Demand Japan Shrine Return Spirits
(Reuters, June 14, 2005) Taiwanese aborigines demanded that their ancestors' names be removed from the sanctum, seen by Asian countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Japanese Firms Rethink China Expansion Plans
(Financial Times, June 11, 2005) Three in 10 Japanese companies operating in China are reassessing expansion plans. Rocky bilateral ties and anti-Japanese sentiments souring outlook for the year.

Taiwan Fishermen Sail to Waters Disputed with Japan
(Reuters, June 9, 2005) About 40 fishing boats from Taiwan sailed north to challenge Japan's claim over rich fishing grounds surrounding a disputed group of islands in the East China Sea.

US Tells Japan, China to 'Move on' in Spat Over History
(AFP, June 8, 2005) The United States told Japan and China to "move on" in their spat over historical wrongs, arguing that their continuing squabble could damage regional trade and security interests.

China Urged To Be More Open on Defense
(AP, June 4, 2005) Japan's defense chief urged China on to release more information about its military spending and said Tokyo seeks a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan question.

Tokyo Tries to Cool China Rift
(CNN.com, May 26, 2005) After further deteriorations in relations between Japan and China this week, Tokyo has pledged to work on improving ties between the two Asian powers.

Chinese Official Cuts Short Japan Trip to Protest Shrine Visit
(NYT, May 24, 2005) As a fence-mending trip to Japan by a senior Chinese official ended in acrimony, China made clear that the official had cut short her visit to protest possible new visits to a war shrine by Japan’s prime minister.

New Japan, U.S. Roles Eyed
(Yomiuri Shimbun, May 19, 2005) The Japanese and U.S. governments have embarked on talks to draw up a joint document about new role-sharing between the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military with a view to releasing it in June.

China and Japan Agree to Maintain Dialogue
(AFP, May 16, 2005) Japan and China have failed to agree on compensation for damage caused by violent anti-Japan riots across China last month. But both sides agreed to keep up discussions.

Japanese Blame Chinese Nationalism
(AP, Apr. 26, 2005) More than half of Japanese polled in a weekend survey blamed Chinese nationalism for the recent spate of anti-Japanese riots in China. But 48 per cent said Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi should stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine.

China Initiates 5 Proposals on Ties with Japan
(People’s Daily, Apr. 24, 2005) Chinese President Hu Jintao said Japan should seriously reflect over its wartime history and properly handle the current difficult situation in the Sino-Japanese relations.

China Moves to Crack Down on Protests Against Japan
(NYT, Apr. 23, 2005) China made clear that it would tolerate no more anti-Japanese protests and urged its citizens not to boycott Japanese products.

Chinese Official Orders End to Anti-Japanese Demonstrations (NYT, Apr. 20, 2005) China's foreign minister called for an end to anti-Japanese protests, the first signal that the leadership may no longer welcome the sometimes violent demonstrations.

Japan, China Meet with Relations in Free Fall
(Reuters, Apr. 18, 2005) Japan and China were headed into talks in Beijing aimed at halting a free fall in ties after a third weekend of protest in China against what many see as Japan's inability to face up to its wartime past.

Japan Carries Protest to China
(AP, Apr. 17, 2005) Japan's foreign minister flew to Beijing carrying a protest against violent anti-Japanese rallies, as Chinese police allowed new demonstrations over Tokyo's wartime past.

China Calls Japan Gas Drilling Plan 'Provocation'
(Reuters, Apr. 14, 2005) China reacted angrily to Japan's plan to allow gas exploration in disputed waters, calling it a ''serious provocation'' at a time when ties are at their worst in decades.

Japan Snubs China on Gas Rights, History Feud Simmers
(Reuters, Apr. 13, 2005) Japan has begun allocating rights for gas exploration in a disputed area of the East China Sea to private firms, a move likely to rile China.

China Blames Japan for Tensions
(CNN.com, Apr. 11, 2005) China says Japan is responsible for escalating tensions between the two former rivals after a weekend where tens of thousands of angry Chinese took to the streets.

Tokyo Protests Anti-Japan Rallies in China
(NYT, Apr. 11, 2005) Japan lodged a formal protest against China after violent anti-Japanese demonstrations in Beijing, even as marches in front of Japanese government offices and businesses widened to southern China.

Anti-Japan Protesters March in Beijing
(Reuters, Apr. 9, 2005) Chinese protesters chanted slogans and burned Japanese flags as more than 1,000 turned out in the capital to demand a boycott of Japanese goods over Tokyo's refusal to admit to World War II atrocities.

Japan Attacks China 'Patriotism'
(BBC, Apr. 6, 2005) Japan has called on China to control anti-Japanese protests, in the wake of a row over new Japanese school books.

China Urges Japan to Do More to Improve Ties
(AP, Mar. 14, 2005) Japan should take the opportunity to improve its troubled relations with China, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said, while warning Tokyo against interfering in Beijing's relations with Taiwan.

Japan Dismisses Chinese Worries on Taiwan Military Pact with US (AFP, Mar. 7, 2005) Japan dismissed a warning by China that increasing US-Japan military cooperation must not encompass Beijing's arch-rival Taiwan.

China Warns US-Japan Military Cooperation Should Not Include Taiwan (AP, Mar. 6, 2004) China's foreign minister warned Japan and the United States not to include Taiwan within the scope of their military alliance, saying Beijing would not permit interference in what it considers an internal matter.

Koizumi Denies New Friction with Beijing
(Reuters, Feb. 22, 2005) Japan said it had no intention of creating friction in its relations with China following Beijing's protest over a Japan-United States declaration which described Taiwan as a common security issue.

China Protests U.S.-Japan Accord
(WP, Feb. 21, 2005) China issued a stiff protest over an updated U.S.-Japanese strategic agreement, saying its reference to Taiwan violates China's national sovereignty and its criticism of China's military buildup is "untenable."

U.S., Japan Worry over N.Korea Nukes, China-Taiwan
(Reuters, Feb. 20, 2005) Japan and the United States used cautious language stating they shared a goal to "encourage the peaceful resolution of issues concerning the Taiwan Strait through dialogue."

Beijing Opposes US-Japan Statement on Taiwan
(China Daily, Feb. 20, 2005) Chinese Government and people resolutely opposes the United States and Japan in issuing any bilateral document concerning China's Taiwan, which meddles the internal affairs of China, and hurts China's sovereignty, China's foreign ministry said.

Taiwan Welcomes U.S.-Japan Cross-Strait Policy
(China Post, Feb. 19, 2005) Taiwan welcomed news that the United States and Japan will declare on Saturday for the first time in a joint agreement that Taiwan is a mutual security concern.

Japan to Join U.S. Policy on Taiwan
(WP, Feb. 18, 2005) The United States and Japan will declare Saturday for the first time in a joint agreement that Taiwan is a mutual security concern, according to a draft of the document.

Tokyo Seeks Talks on Aid Cuts to China
(Reuters, Feb. 14, 2005) Japan plans to draw up a 'road map' with China that would outline a process for gradual cuts in official development assistance to the country, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.

China Slams Japanese 'Violation of Sovereignty' in Lighthouse Row (AFP, Feb. 12, 2005) China has ratcheted up its rhetoric over a move by Japan on a group of disputed islands, slamming it as a "provocation" and a "violation of Chinese territorial sovereignty".

Japan Takes over Lighthouse on Island Claimed by China, Taiwan (AFP, Feb. 10, 2005) Japan said it had placed under state control a lighthouse built by nationalists on a disputed island in the East China Sea despite rival claims by China and Taiwan.

Japan Surplus Ends 2004 with China as Largest Partner
(Financial Times, January 26, 2005) China surpassed the US to become Japan’s biggest trading partner last year, underlining the importance of the Chinese economy to Japan’s faltering recovery.

Japan moves to drill in East China Sea
(Japan Times, Jan. 17, 2005) Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. and Teikoku Oil Co. are in talks with the government on their plans to drill for natural gas in the East China Sea near areas claimed by both Japan and China.

Testing Times for Japan, China By Brad Glosserman
(Japan Times, Dec. 31, 2005) The readiness of a Japanese Cabinet official, and a foreign minister no less, to publicly acknowledge and criticize China's military buildup marks a profound departure from past practice.

Nationalism Drives China, Japan Apart By Robert Marquand
(Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 29, 2005) The growing trade between Japan and China in 2005 has been matched by rising symbolic and verbal provocations and a steady decline in public opinion and diplomatic ties.

Letter from China: Japan and China Take a Collision Course By Howard W. French (IHT, Dec. 29, 2005) There are two trains running in East Asia. Each of these locomotives heeds only its own signal, and the danger grows by the season that, if there is no coordination, a huge wreck might one day ensue.

Remembering the War-Japanese Style By Kiichi Fujiwara
(Far Eastern Economic Review, Dec. 2005) After the war, in Japan, virtually all war remembrance was directed toward the memory of the suffering of civilian Japanese. Japanese war memories run as a narrative of a victimized nation.

Japan - China Caught in Spotlight at East Asia Talks
(Reuters, Dec. 13, 2005) A long-standing feud between Japan and China caught the spotlight on the eve of the first East Asian summit, rekindling concerns that the bad blood could thwart progress of the new grouping.

Why Japan Keeps Provoking China By Jim Frederick
(TIME, Dec. 10, 2005) Beijing's growing regional power has spurred a rightward political shift in Tokyo. Not surprisingly, most Japanese are reluctant to acknowledge that nationalism is on the rise

Yasukuni Shrine: Time to Make a Deal By Ralph A. Cossa
(PacNet #53, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Dec. 6, 2005) Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi remains in denial over the negative impact his continued visits to the Yasukuni Shrine are having on Japanese and U.S. national security interests.

The China-Japan Challenge
(Editorial, Boston Globe, Dec. 5, 2005) It is not easy these days to picture the United States in the role of relationship therapist, patiently repairing the dangerous rift that has been growing between China and Japan. But that is exactly what those two major Asian powers need.

The Youthful Face of Japanese Nationalism By Kenta Tanimichi
(Far Eastern Economic Review, November 2005) A majority of Japanese don’t really care that visits to Yasukuni Shrine by their political leaders offend China, or indeed any other foreign country. At least that is what can be gleaned from the results of polls.

China and Japan in Mekong Tug-of-War By Hisane Masaki
(Straits Times, Nov. 24, 2005) Rivalry between Japan and China over the development of the Mekong River basin is intensifying as Tokyo tries to regain some ground lost in recent years to Beijing.

As China Rises, So Does Japanese Nationalism By Martin Jacques
(The Guardian, Nov. 17, 2005) Japan is stuck in its past, and its refusal to come to terms with it threatens to define its future and that of the whole of east Asia.

Japan's Major Step Towards 'Normality' By James Auer
(Straits Times, Nov. 8, 2005) To understand the rationale behind the Oct 29 security agreement between Japan and the United States, one needs to return to history. Doing so allows one to see how recent developments simply bring Japan nearer to a state of normality in its security arrangements.

Avoid Wishful Thinking on Japan By Tsai Zheng-jia
(Taipei Times, Nov. 7, 2005) The process of Japan's normalization will certainly raise doubts in China, but that does not necessarily mean that Taiwan and Japan will get closer.

New Cabinet, Old Agenda By Kwan Weng Kin
(Straits Times, Nov. 2, 2005) Japan's new Cabinet line-up makes it clear that in the 11 months left of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's tenure, there will be more of the same - more reforms, closer ties with the United States and more bickering with China and South Korea.

Economic Ties Binding Japan to Rival China By Howard W. French and Norimitsu Onishi (New York Times, Oct. 31, 2005) At a time of rising political tensions, China and Japan are more intertwined economically than they have ever been. In their breadth and intensity, the ties have begun to surpass those between the United States and Japan.

A Very Lonely Japan By Christian Caryl
(Newsweek International, Oct. 31, 2005) The country's inability to come to grips with its past has long infuriated the region. But now it's starting to threaten Tokyo's once unquestioned influence.

Japanese Feel War Apologies Enough
(Agence France Presse, Oct. 28, 2005) Almost two-thirds of Japanese believe their leaders have apologised enough to China and South Korea for the nation's past military aggression, a poll showed.

China-Japan Rift Hurts America, Too By Michael Vatikiotis (International Herald Tribune, Oct. 20, 2005) Competition between Asia's two largest powers is bad for regional security. If America truly wishes to act as a bulwark for security in Asia, it would do well to focus on helping to mend relations between China and Japan.

Japan-China Friction to Keep Shaking Asia: Analysts
(AFP, Oct. 19, 2005) With China growing in stature on the world stage, diplomatic friction between Tokyo and Beijing is likely to continue as the two powers vie for regional leadership and clash over war-time memories, analysts say.

Bigger Role for Japan's Military
(Agence France Presse, Oct. 7, 2005) Japan may send military planes and ships to help in the US-led war on terror and reconstruction missions. Such a move would be a new step away from Tokyo's post-World War II pacifism.

Japan's Rivalry With China Is Stirring a Crowded Sea By Norimitsu Onishi and Howard W. French (New York Times, Sep. 11, 2005) In a muscular display of its rising military and economic might, China deployed a fleet of five warships on Friday near a gas field in the East China Sea, a potentially resource-rich area that is disputed by China and Japan.

Why Japan Seems Content to Be Run by One Party By Norimitsu Onishi (New York Times, Sep. 7, 2005) The Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan nearly continuously for half a century, appears headed for another victory in the general election on Sunday - a big one, if polls are correct.

The Japan-China-U.S. Club By Ling Xingguang
(Japan Times, Sep. 6, 2005) Since the beginning of the year, relations between the United States and China have become sharply strained while those between Japan and China have markedly deteriorated.

Japan and China Jockey for Influence in S-E Asia
(Straits Times, Aug. 17, 2005) When Myanmar upgraded its national phone systems from analog to digital recently, it made a significant switch from Japanese to Chinese technology.

China, Japan Mark End of WWII Amid Rising Ill-Will
(Straits Times, Aug. 15, 2005) China and Japan mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II today with solemn ceremonies and reminders aplenty of a rising tide of ill-will rooted in historical enmity and modern rivalry.

Sayonara to Japanese Pacifism? By Ayako Doi and Kim Willenson
(Washington Post, Aug. 14, 2005) The emergence of a Japanese will to get back into the military game, even in a carefully nonviolent way, has stirred fears in Beijing, Seoul and Pyongyang.

It's Time China and Japan Started to Get Along By Jing-dong Yuan (International Herald Tribune, Aug. 13, 2005) Relations between China and Japan are at a crossroads. Returning the bilateral relationship to a positive trajectory is the greatest challenge now facing Beijing and Tokyo.

Japan Bares Its Sword By Suvendrini Kakuchi
(Asia Times, Aug. 5, 2005) Given a rapidly changing Asian security scenario wherein China and India loom large as future military powers, Japan has seen fit to take the first steps to carve out a more active role in international defense.

Ill Will Rising Between China and Japan
(New York Times, Aug. 3, 2005) Japanese lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a resolution that plays down this country's militarist policies in World War II. The action will most likely be seen by China and Japan's other Asian neighbors as further proof of growing nationalism here.

Japan Seeks Its Constitutional Soul By Haruko Satoh
(Far Eastern Economic Review, July/August 2005) The constitution has never been fully implemented due to obstruction at the hands of conservative politicians and bureaucrats during the Cold War.

Japan and China Dispute a Pacific Islet By Norimitsu Onishi
(New York Times, July 10, 2005) The smaller of the two is roughly the size of a twin bed and pokes only 2.9 inches out of the ocean. The larger, as big as a small bedroom perhaps, manages to rise up 6.3 inches.

Japan Defense Plans Critical to Taiwan's Security
(Editorial, Taiwan News, July 8, 2005) The contents of a new white paper by the official Japan defense Agency that devotes considerably more attention to the potential threat from China has major significance for Taiwan's own security.

China's Economic Brawn Unsettles Japanese By James Brooke (New York Times, June 27, 2005) The reaction in Japan to the swelling economic muscle of China provides an early warning sign of the mixed emotions that China evokes as it rises on the global stage.

Sino-Japan Row a Latent Threat to Regional Stability
(Straits Times, June 25, 2005) Sino-Japanese tension has emerged as the biggest wild card in regional stability, says an American scholar, warning that the emotional issue has to be managed more carefully.

Talks Needed on Fishing Disputes By Chiang Huang-chih
(Taipei Times, June 22, 2005) Both Taiwan and Japan need to clarify their responsibilities and areas in an agreement on joint fishery management. Otherwise the friction between the two sides will only increase until the situation gets out of hand.

Gunboat Diplomacy Useful
(Editorial, China Post, June 22, 2005) Taiwan's EEZ overlaps that of Japan. Fourteen rounds of negotiations have failed to solve disputes because Japan doesn't take Taiwan's sovereignty seriously.

Hu's Points Show Way for Sino-Japan Ties
(China Daily, June 21, 2005) Adhering to the principle of the three basic documents and abiding by the political promise on the issue of history and the Taiwan question are the basic conditions for developing healthy bilateral ties between China and Japan.

Behind Japan’s Foreign Policy By Shigenori Okazaki
(Far Eastern Economic Review, June 2005) Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has proven himself to be the most hawkish, right-wing prime minister since the end of World War II. He has used “reform” as a cover for achieving his political aspirations.

New History Text Turns a Page in East Asia Ties
(Straits Times, June 10, 2005) Amid a lull in diplomatic tension, a Chinese publisher yesterday launched a history book co-written by scholars from China, South Korea and Japan.

Japan Catches Fallout from U.S.-China Exchange over Taiwan (Asahi Shimbun, June 6, 2005) Japan came under criticism in the fallout of a heated exchange between the United States and China over Taiwan at the Asia Security Conference here. In fact, some participants said Japan -- not China -- is the country creating the most fears in Asia.

The Chrysanthemum and the Dragon By Conn Hallinan
(Asia Times, June 3, 2005) While history does play a role in all this, if one wants to understand the antagonism between Beijing and Tokyo, one has to start in Washington and, in particular, Washington state.

Relations Fray as Japan Criticizes Chinese Official's Snub By James Brooke (New York Times, May 25, 2005) Japanese officials sharply criticized China for canceling a meeting with Japan's prime minister on Monday and predicted that the incident would sharpen growing anti-Chinese sentiment here.

China Angry At Shrine Visits, Japan Annoyed At Snub
(Reuters, May 24, 2005) China vented anger over Japanese leaders' remarks on visiting a shrine for war dead, a day after a top Chinese official abruptly canceled a meeting with Japan's prime minister in an apparent snub to Tokyo.

Tokyo’s Quixotic Quest for Acceptance By Edward C. Luck
(Far Eastern Economic Review, May 2005) Japan’s quixotic quest for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council has been pursued with more vigor than success for close to four decades. Undeterred, Tokyo is pressing harder than ever this year.

East Asia's Giants Slip Out of Control By Ian Bremmer
(International Herald Tribune, May 20, 2005) The oft-cited reasons for the widening divide between China and Japan are of course far from the whole story. The real source of the conflict is a fundamental reordering of power in Asia.

China Walks Nationalist Tightrope By Louisa Lim (BBC, May 3, 2005) Beijing has moved to stem anti-Japan rallies after having been happy to let them rage through several Chinese cities last month.

Beijing Finds Anti-Japan Propaganda a 2-Edged Sword By Joseph Kahn (New York Times, May 3, 2005) China reversed course late last month and ordered people to let the government handle Japan itself. But the authorities are clearly worried that patriotic protests could return.

Japan May Have To Bend Its Knee By Timothy W. Ryback (International Herald Tribune, Apr. 26, 2005) The Japanese have hobbled far behind their former axis allies. Their efforts have been sporadic, awkward and generally unnoticed by the international community. The difficulties are as much cultural as political or economic.

‘Opposing the Sun’: Japan Alienates Asia By Hugo Restall
(Far Eastern Economic Review, April 2005) The simplest explanation of rising anti-Japanese sentiment is best: Japan has mishandled the legacy of war and is now paying the price as it tries to become a normal nation.

In China, Roots Of Anger Toward Japan Run Deep By Edward Cody (Washington Post, Apr. 20, 2005) To a large degree, they gave context to the inflexible positions adopted by the Chinese government recently in dealing with Tokyo and the insistent demand from Beijing for a greater show of remorse from the Japanese leadership.

China and Japan Playing the Blame Game By Chua Chin Hon
(Straits Times, Apr. 19, 2005) Sorry seems to be the hardest word as both sides meet to discuss deteriorating ties. China said Sino-Japanese ties were at their lowest ebb in three decades and the onus was on Japan to fix them.

Q&A: The China-Japan Rift
(Council on Foreign Relations, April 18, 2005) What is behind the rift between China and Japan? National pride and historical grievances rooted in a longstanding rivalry, most experts say.

In Japan's New Texts, Lessons in Rising Nationalism By Norimitsu Onishi (New York Times, Apr. 17, 2005) Their students learn history through government-approved textbooks. Since the textbooks require the central government's imprimatur, they are taken as a reflection of the views of the current leaders.

Japan Rising: Flexing of Political Muscle Stems from Quest to Become 'Normal' Nation By Kwan Weng Kin (Straits Times, Apr. 16, 2005) Given Japan's desire to normalise ties with North Korea and its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Mr Koizumi can ill afford to pick fights at this time.

China Rising: Newfound Economic Muscle Pits It against Japan By Goh Sui Noi (Straits Times, Apr. 16, 2005) With a rising China changing the power structure between the two sides and a globalised world leading to increasingly overlapping interests between them, frictions are hard to avoid.

China Pushing and Scripting Japan Protests By Joseph Kahn
(New York Times, Apr. 15, 2005) China has tapped a deep strain of nationalism among its people, gambling, analysts say, that it can propel itself to a leadership role in Asia while cloaking its move for power in the guise of wounded pride and popular will.

The Price of Japanese Nationalism By Erich Marquardt (Asia Times, Apr. 14, 2005) Japan's growing nationalism derives from its desire to develop a more independent foreign policy and to increase its military power; much of the country's political elite want to see a return of a powerful Japan.

China's Reckless Nationalism
(Editorial, International Herald Tribune, Apr. 13, 2005) It is inevitable that China's rise as an economic power will generate tensions with other countries, especially neighbors like Japan. But it is important that these tensions be managed responsibly by both sides.

As China Grows More Powerful, Regional Rivalries Take New Turn By Michael A. Lev (Chicago Tribune, Apr. 12, 2005) Surging Chinese growth and influence has come at a time of mounting unease over Japan's diplomatic and military ambitions.

China Hots Up as Anti-Japan Feelings Grow By Chua Chin Hon
(Straits Times, Apr. 12, 2005) Angry young men, many of them students or office workers in their 20s and 30s, formed the bulk of protesters denouncing Japan's controversial new history textbook.

U.S. Pushing Japan to Boost Military Role
(Associated Press, Apr. 9, 2005) Washington appears to be trying to use the talks to nudge Japan out from under the U.S. security blanket and make Tokyo a much more active player in global strategic operations.

Japan's Reach for Future Runs up Against the Past By Norimitsu Onishi (International Herald Tribune, Apr. 7, 2005) A year with so many reference points to the past, pregnant with the dangers of unresolved history, was nevertheless supposed to point Japan into the future.

Japanese Schoolbooks Anger S. Korea, China By Anthony Faiola
(WP, Apr. 6, 2005) The Education Ministry approved a controversial new series of school textbooks that critics say whitewash Japan's militaristic past.

China Fights Enlarging Security Council By Colum Lynch
(Washington Post, Apr. 5, 2005) China's U.N. ambassador on Monday challenged Secretary General Kofi Annan's proposal to enlarge the Security Council to 24 members by year's end.

If 22 Million Chinese Prevail at U.N., Japan Won't By Joseph Kahn
(New York Times, Apr. 1, 2005) A grass-roots Chinese campaign to keep Japan out of the United Nations Security Council has gathered some 22 million signatures, increasing the chances that China will block Japan's bid to join the elite group.

China and Japan: So Hard To Be Friends
(Economist, Mar. 23, 2005) China and Japan are increasingly inter-linked commercially. But their age-old political animus is reviving too. Tensions are rising again between two of the 20th century's bitterest rivals.

Japan and US 'Dissuade' China
(Taipei Times, Mar. 23, 2005) The nation's former top representative to Tokyo said that the recent US-Japan joint security statement showed the two countries have shifted strategies.

The Real 'China Treat' By Chalmers Johnson
(Asia Times, Mar. 19, 2005) It is popular nowadays to refer to the US as the "lone superpower". This is a myth: there is now a new superpower, China. The current US policy of encouraging and even accelerating Japanese rearmament, and both allies' self-delusion over Taiwan, are huge and very dangerous foreign policy errors.

Heading Off a Japan-China Conflict By Michael Vatikiotis
(International Herald Tribune, Mar. 3, 2005) What then can the rest of Asia do? Certainly not sit on the sidelines and wait for two of Asia's major powers to drift toward confrontation.

U.S.-Japan Statement: What It Means for the Four Key Players By Philip Yang (Straits Times, Feb. 26, 2005) Besides signaling that the US wants to strengthen cooperation with Japan and increase mutual defense responsibilities, the statement also highlights two key issues: the normalization of Japanese security policy, and; a new trend in the development of the US-Japan security alliance.

Issue of Taiwan Raises Stakes Between Tokyo and Beijing By David Pilling (Financial Times, Feb. 25 2005) In December, Japan annoyed Beijing by explicitly naming China as a potential security concern. This month it went one step further.

Animosity Toward Japan Is Again the Rage in China By David J. Lynch (USA TODAY, Feb. 24, 2005) As the head of the 80,000-member Patriots' Alliance, Lu created the country's most popular nationalist Web site, staged protests outside the Japanese Embassy and organized provocative trips to a cluster of islands in the East China Sea occupied by Japan but claimed by China.

A Rapport Worries China By Keith Bradsher
(New York Times, Feb. 22, 2005) And the lasting fondness of many Taiwanese for Japan is helping to make possible closer relations between Taipei and Tokyo this winter. It is a growing closeness that increasingly upsets Beijing.

Tokyo Appears Vital to Washington's Goals for Stability in Asia By Nobuyoshi Sakajira (Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 21, 2005) Washington wanted to raise the Taiwan issue in an effort to prod Beijing to exert more pressure on Pyongyang to resolve the nuclear issue. In the same context, Washington wants to contain China from using military force against Taiwan.

China Accuses U.S. and Japan of Interfering on Taiwan By Jim Yardley and Keith Bradsher (New York Times, Feb. 21, 2005) China accused Japan and the United States of meddling in its internal affairs, and criticized a new joint security statement in which the two countries declared a peaceful Taiwan Strait as among their "common strategic objectives."

Japan-China Tensions Rise over Tiny Islands By Robert Marquand (Christian Science Monitor, Feb. 11, 2005) In a sign of deepening popular and political animosity between China and Japan, Tokyo took formal possession this week of a tiny archipelago in the Pacific waters south of Japan.

The Dragon for Trade, the Eagle for Safety By James Brooke (New York Times, Feb. 6, 2005) Now Mr. Ishihara and Japanese nationalists like him are at it again, but in reverse. It's an overbearing China that needs to be told no, they say; the alliance with America should be nurtured.

After the Tsunami, How Japan Can Lead By Masaru Tamamoto (Far Eastern Economic Review, Feb. 2005) a senior fellow of the World Policy Institute, urges Japan to use the tsunami disaster as a chance to forge a new relationship with China. Asia needs a new paradigm for regional unity following the model of post-war France and Germany.

China 'Threat' Strengthens US-Japan Military Ties By Kosuke Takahashi (Asia Times, Jan. 13, 2005) This is just the beginning of a war of nerves of military strategy among the world's three most powerful countries, based on real hardball politics, military hardware and spyware.