On 11 October, following talks between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and their Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly, Ottawa and Tokyo announced a new “Japan-Canada Action Plan” aimed at realizing the… Continue reading "Canada and Japan Discussing Intelligence Sharing Agreement"
Speaking at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced plans for an expanded Japanese security role in the Indo-Pacific. As he addressed the… Continue reading "Kishida Pledges to Expand Japan’s International Security Role"
On Thursday 29 April, US General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), met his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Hawaii. These were Japanese Chief of… Continue reading "Top US, Korean and Japanese Military Officials Meet in Hawaii"
Speaking on Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed that over the next four years, the country will spend an additional A$747 million or $580 million USD on defense. The… Continue reading "Australia Announces Another $580 Million for Defense"
Every year, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) releases a “diplomatic bluebook” which serves as a publicly-available annual report on the country’s foreign policy activities. The 2021 edition was… Continue reading "New Japanese Diplomatic Bluebook Shows Significantly More Concern About China than Earlier Editions"
The relationship between South Korea and Japan has never fully healed from the fallout of Japan’s colonization of the peninsula and has deteriorated even further in recent months. In regards… Continue reading "Korean Defense Minister Talks of Strengthening Ties with Japan"
Speaking at a virtual event being held by the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association, US Admiral Philip S. Davidson laid out a vision for military and wider geopolitical success… Continue reading "US Admiral Philip Davidson Lays Out Indo-Pacific Vision"
The USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups have just launched an exercise the South China Sea. This is the first South China Sea freedom of navigation operation… Continue reading "Large Freedom of Navigation Deployments in the South China Sea Include Two Carriers"
On 3rd February, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab held a videoconference with Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. They discussed common… Continue reading "UK and Japan Agree to Strengthen Defense Cooperation"
As soon as Joe Biden was inaugurated, China was quick to probe the president’s commitment to the region using both soft and hard power. The PLA Air Force intensified its… Continue reading "Biden Administration Moves to Reaffirm Pacific Commitment"