East Asia Insights
East Asia Insights is an occasional policy brief that was launched by JCIE in 2006 in order to share a Japanese perspective on critical issues and challenges facing the region. The briefs are authored by Hitoshi Tanaka, a senior fellow at JCIE and chairman of the Institute for International Strategy at the Japan Research Institute. He previously served as Japan’s deputy minister for foreign affairs. Opinions expressed in East Asia Insights are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position or views of JCIE.
Beware the US-Japan Alliance China Gap
August 2023
Amid the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China, Japan finds itself in an increasingly delicate situation, caught between its security guarantor and its leading economic partner. As…
The China Challenge and US-Japan Relations under Fumio Kishida
December 2021
Japan’s new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, passed his first test and guided the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to victory in the Lower House election on October 31, less than one month after he…
Deepening US-Japan Strategic Cooperation on China and the Indo-Pacific
June 2021
The new Biden administration has emphasized the importance of cooperation with East Asian allies to uphold a stable, rules-based regional order, while at the same time seeking a tough and united appro…
The Biden Administration’s Chance to Get Asia Policy Right—A View from Japan
February 2021
The Biden administration faces complex challenges in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity while restoring multilateral diplomacy with East Asia. Overcoming these obstacles will require special…
Navigating China Relations and the US-Japan Alliance
October 2020
In January 2020, the United States and Japan marked the 60th anniversary of the revised US-Japan Security Treaty. Steps to strengthen this relationship, which should not be taken for granted, include…
Five Steps to Bolster the US-Japan Alliance
March 2020
In January 2020, the United States and Japan marked the 60th anniversary of the revised US-Japan Security Treaty. Steps to strengthen this relationship, which should not be taken for granted, include…
The Crisis of US Credibility in East Asia
October 2019
The decision by the US Congress to open an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump over his pressuring of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden has brought renewed attention t…
Regaining Momentum on North Korea Negotiations: One Year on from the Singapore Summit
June 2019
The international community is now at a crossroads with North Korea. The lack of progress at the Hanoi Summit raises the risk that the opportunity created by the Singapore Summit may be squandered. Ho…
Managing the US-China Strategic Rivalry
December 2018
The intensification of US-China tensions risks undermining regional stability in Asia Pacific. This cannot be resolved simply by ending the current trade war, and disengagement and decoupling is not a…
Engaging North Korea after the Singapore Summit
July 2018
On June 12, US President Donald Trump and North Korean Workers’ Party Chairman Kim Jong-un met for a historic US-DPRK summit. While the vagueness of their final statement left many skeptical of the re…