REQUIEM FOR SHINTARO ISHIHARA
Shintaro Ishihara, an author turned politician who passed away at age 89 on February 1, was a larger than life figure. When speaking seriously he could be polite and sensitive, but he often hid h…
CHINA HAS NURTURED DANGEROUS NORTH KOREA
North Korea has been launching missiles with unprecedented frequency since the beginning of the new year. Presumably, Pyongyang is intending to entice Washington into negotiations in a desperate …
JAPAN MUST STRATEGICALLY SUPPORT THE US
Marking his first year in office, President Joe Biden held a news conference at the White House on January 19. The 79-year-old Biden spoke close to two hours without taking a seat. In li…
PRO-BEIJING PARTNER SPELLS TROUBLE FOR COALITION GOVERNMENT
On January 15, I gave a speech at a gathering in Tokyo hosted by the Japan Uyghur Association, a non-profit body founded in 2008. The theme of the meeting: “How Should Japan Address China’s Genoc…
CRUSHING DEFEAT POSSIBLE FOR RULING PARTY IN UPPER HOUSE ELECTION THIS SUMMER
The triennial election for the Upper House slated for July 10 ought to be a major concern for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. A total of 125 of the chamber’s 248 seats will be contested. If his rul…
