Japan

Despite being industrial powerhouses, Korea and Japan are both resource-poor nations with limited domestic sources of energy. Powering their economies required both to develop supply chains for fossil fuels, nuclear…

With relations between Korea and Japan improving over the last year the leaders of the United States, Korea, and Japan met in Washington on August 18 to discuss a common…

This month, the world was reminded once again that the relationship between the Republic of Korea and Japan is deeply fractious. Japan has imposed restrictions on the export of chemical…

With the world's attention on Singapore on June 12, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un walked across a stage flanked by American and North Korean…

At a time when the Biden Administration is seeking to restore faith in the alliances and show resolve, the potential for security cooperation between Japan and Korea is dimmed by the continuing primacy of disputes over history. Aggravating this problem is an ever-widening gap between Japan and South Korean with respect China. At the two…

The first trip abroad by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense in a new administration are closely watched for clues to the administration’s foreign policies.  In making the decision which foreign country to visit first, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense separately telegraph foreign and defense policy priorities.  The…

What Happened In a speech commemorating Korea’s declaration of independence from Japan in 1919, President Moon indicated his government's desire to improve ties with Japan. The speech reaffirmed Moon’s long-standing push to separate bilateral discussions on the legacy of Japan’s colonial occupation from talks on security and other future-oriented concerns. Moon also stated that improving relations with…

What Happened After a 7-year trial, the Seoul court ruled on January 8 that the Japanese government must pay reparations to 12 Korean women who were forced to work in Japanese military brothels during WWII. The Japanese government claimed the legal case should be dropped based on state immunity, a doctrine that makes states immune to civil suits…