Japan’s LGBT Law Pleases No One
Both sides of the political spectrum are disappointed by the newly passed anti-LGBT discrimination law, but for different reasons.
Tag Archives: United Kingdom
Passing Down Memories of the Tiananmen Massacre
A candlelight vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre was held outside Shinjuku Station on June 4, 2023, but unlike last year’s event, the lead role in organizing the memorial was taken by young mainland Chinese instead of Hongkongers.
Cries of “Hidden Genocide” in Ethiopia
Activists supporting the Amhara people of Ethiopia are warning that their ethnic group is facing a “hidden genocide” due to the historical and territorial grievances of rival political factions.
Japan Becoming Military Spending Great Power
Japan plans to massively increase its defense budget over the next four years, climbing into the ranks of the highest-funded national militaries. Depending on developments–and future currency exchange rates–there is even the possibility that Japan could soon rank as the No. 3 military in the world as measured by its budget.
Somalia’s Al-Shabab Under Pressure
For years the internationally-recognized government of Somalia, based in Mogadishu, has been in a running battle with the Al-Shabab insurgency, but recent advances by the Somali Armed Forces, backed by the US military, as well as division within the Islamist movement itself, appears to have put Al-Shabab on the back foot.
Hirobumi Ito and the Sino-Japanese War
From 1892-1896, Hirobumi Ito returned as prime minister and had one of the most successful administrations in Japanese history. He presided over Japan’s first modern war in which it decisively defeated Qing China, overturned the traditional East Asia political order, and created its own colonial empire.
UK Conservatives Aim to Crush Labor Unions
The United Kingdom’s Conservative Party government has unveiled an anti-strike bill which has been branded a “full-frontal attack on working people” by the nation’s largest trade union. This legislation arrives amidst a continued campaign of industrial action by workers across the United Kingdom against “real-terms pay cuts.”
Culture War Erupts Between Westminster and Holyrood
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared that her government will challenge the United Kingdom in court after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government acted to veto a recently-passed LGBT rights bill—a move that critics say will harm sexual minorities, imperil national unity, and represents fuel on the fire for a culture war.
Russia Looks East to Overcome Sanctions
Economic sanctions and corporate boycotts have not caused the rapid collapse of the Russian economy, as some Western commentators had hoped. Sanctions are, however, pressuring economic lifelines for the Russian people and forcing Moscow to embrace Eurasian ties.
Hirobumi Ito and the Modern Cabinet System
From 1885-1888, Hirobumi Ito served as the first prime minister of Japan. Indeed, he was the principal architect of the modern Cabinet system, inspired by European models but adapted to Japanese circumstances.
