I want to pause once again and turn from Asian matters to a memo by my friend and mentor Joshua Muravchik in the November/December 2006 issue of Foreign Policy titled "Operation Comeback," addressed to "My Fellow Neoconservatives."His piece reflects on the mistakes made in recent years by neoconservatives, and attempts to restore some meaning to …
Category: Observing Japan Blog
Abe reviews the fleet
On the 29th of October, Prime Minister Abe reviewed the Japanese fleet at Sagami Bay in Kanagawa. In this week's issue of his email magazine, Abe poetically recounts the review, speaking of clouds giving way to an autumnal blue sky, of the deep azure of the sea, and of the majesty and magnificence of the …
Chen plays with fire
The FT reports that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian wants to "freeze" its constitution and replace it with a new one.Given recent difficulties faced by Chen over corruption in his pan-green coalition and his low approval ratings, it seems unlikely, as the FT notes, that his plan will secure the requisite support in parliament and among …
My little survey
Over the past several days, I have given my students essay topics -- explained here -- that have asked for their views on US-Japan and Japan-China relations. My prompts weren't explicitly political; they could address any and all aspects of these relationships, including culture, economics, cuisine, language, and politics.I'm not going to say that I …
Follow the (black, red, and) yellow brick road
The New York Times has an editorial today (registration required) that applauds Germany for its recent white paper on international security policy. The white paper calls for Germany to play a greater role in MOOTW operations -- including peacekeeping, post-conflict reconstruction, and counterterrorism operations.Sound familiar?This is precisely the role that Japan aims to play in …
Continue reading Follow the (black, red, and) yellow brick road
Sympathy for Japan
In the midst of the relief that has greeted North Korea's decision to return to the six-party talks, it is important to remember -- as this editorial in the Yomiuri Shimbun does (link in Japanese) -- that Japan cannot relax just because the six-party talks are set to resume.Of the powers participating in the talks, …
Party of Six
So, hoseannas and hallelujahs -- North Korea returns to the fold.Frankly, I think any celebration of the resumption of the six-party talks is premature, as Chris Hill, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, admitted: "We are a long way from our goal still. I have not broken out the cigars and …
Slippery Abe
David Pilling, the FT's Tokyo correspondent, conducted an interview with Abe Shinzo that is perhaps remarkable only for its lack of firm commitment to anything other than constitutional revision -- which Abe has already voiced his enthusiasm for on previous occasions.And even on constitutional revision he is noncommital. He is long on ideals, short on …
North Korea returns to the table
Of course, just as I posted, news broke that China announced that North Korea would return to the six-party talks.Until it becomes clear what conditions, if any, Pyongyang accepted before agreeing to retun to the table, it is difficult to judge how big a diplomatic victory China appears to have won. Besides, as I've said …
Cooperative Asia, Cool Japan
As if on cue from my last post, the BBC reports that the US has voiced its approval of Chinese initiatives to strengthen military-to-military cooperation with ASEAN countries. Exactly right. The US has nothing to lose from China's cooperating with its Southeast Asian neighbors. After all, ASEAN nations aren't exactly natural allies of China, given …
Tobias S. Harris 