Whereas most Japanese political parties, whether the ruling conservatives or the mainstream opposition, effectively have little in the way of fixed party policies, the Japan Communist Party, the nation’s oldest political party, is very different, taking its own platforms very seriously.
Artist Chiharu Shiota is Japanese, and deeply so, but at the same time she lives a very international life. Her installations and performances address hot issues that question exile, displacement, identity, sickness, and all their respective boundaries of fear and anxiety.
The priorities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should be clear given its response to the outbreak of the Wuhan Coronavirus. Namely, the CCP has not acted to protect the health of the Chinese people, but instead acted with its priorities on presenting the appearance of stability, so as to maintain political legitimacy.
In 2019, Japan’s involvement in the Russian energy sector increased significantly, most notably with the purchase by a Japanese consortium of a 10% stake in Russia’s Arctic LNG-2 project. The Abe administration evidently hopes that these new investments will bring benefits, both in terms of energy economics, and as a means of furthering Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ambition to settle Japan’s territorial dispute with Russia. In both respects, the Japanese leadership risks disappointment.
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the second half of September 2019.
Twelve weeks into pro-democracy demonstrations, Hong Kong is on the verge of a tipping point, and protesters are becoming increasingly desperate in the face of inaction by their government.
The World Health Organization estimates that there will be a shortage of 18 million healthcare workers by 2030. This equates to a 20% gap in the global capacity to provide healthcare services. Japan, which is already grappling with an aging society and its attendant problems, is at the forefront of this crisis.
Japan discussed hydrogen technology at the G20 Summit in Osaka this year, which isn’t surprising as the country is leading the way in global sustainability efforts centered around hydrogen power.
The mesmerizing sight of the aki-akane, meaning ‘autumn red’ dragonfly, is a traditional symbol of autumn in Japan’s rice farming landscape. However, the species has been rapidly disappearing in recent years and has now nearly vanished over most of Japan. The reason, according to scientists, is the increased use in rice farming of a class of broad-spectrum insecticides that have been the subject of bans in the European Union and China.
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported on May 12, 2019.
