Human Security Centre Human Rights and International Security Research

What sort of trajectory have contemporary Japan-Haiti relations followed, and which factors have defined their development?

Abe's assassination is an entirely unprecedented event has led the Kishida administration to face an epistemological insecurity which could well shake Japan and its very post-war identity as a democratic state to the very core

One key U.S. ally enjoys unexpectedly calm bilateral relations with Iran: Japan. This is especially the case in terms of bilateral trade relations.

How long Kishida remains in office depends on the potentially uncomfortable choices he will have to make: as the moderate leader of a conservative-dominated party, either his old dovishness will alienate the LDP right or his new hawkishness will alienate the Japanese public.

South Korea and Taiwan share surprisingly complex bilateral relations, especially considering that they have so much in common: they are US allies who have experienced far-reaching democratisation and economic growth in the past three decades, they are both former Japanese colonies and they both possess historical links with China.

The future shape of Japan’s Myanmar policy depends on who wins the LDP leadership election. Despite their membership of the same political party, the candidates’ respective political positions vary considerably.

Japan and Taiwan share complex bilateral relations. An important element of this complexity is that while the dispute over Senkaku Islands is principally between Japan and China, Taiwan also claims them as its own territory.

Owing to Central Asia’s geographical proximity and historical links to both Russia and China, it is understandable that the activities of both powers in this region receive the most attention. There is, however, one other power whose influence and activities in the region are often left out of the equation: Japan

The Japanese military presence in the Horn of Africa commenced in 2009, when two Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) destroyers were dispatched to the region to participate in counterpiracy operations following an emergency order from the cabinet. In 2011, in order to facilitate this, Japan Self-Defence Force (JSDF) Base Djibouti was established.

Despite the storm of attention generated by the regeneration of Japan's hard power capabilities under Shinzo Abe, the concept of 'soft balancing' may provide a better theoretical approach to understanding Japan's approach to international relations