Twenty years have passed since the Diet resolution to promote decentralization reform. In the following series of articles, we look at how the situation has evolved over this period and analyse the decentralization issues that the new Abe administration will face over the coming years.

What Type of Decentralization Best Suits Japan?
Decentralization: Who Is It For?

Two years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011. In the following articles, we hear the thoughts of the bereaved families, analyze the current situation, and consider how recovery efforts will take shape in the years to come.

Talking with the Dead Through Invisible Grief
A Late Spring in Tōhoku (Part II)
A Late Spring in Tōhoku (Part I)
Keeping Taylor Anderson’s Dream Alive and Well

The December 2012 general election brought to power the Liberal Democratic Party and their coalition partners New Kōmeitō. How will Japan’s politics change? What can we expect from Abe Shinzō’s second term as president? We look at these issues and more in the following series.

Abe’s Agenda on Three Fronts

Shale gas and shale oil are revolutionizing the way the world gets its energy. How should Japan respond to the economic and geopolitical impact of this energy revolution?

Japanese Energy Strategy in the Shale-Gas Era
A US Strategist Speaks on Japan’s Leadership and Energy Policy Needs
Japan and the Geopolitics of the Shale Revolution

Over the past 20 years, “East Asia” no longer represents the region containing China, Japan, and the Korean peninsula. The term now covers a wider geographical area, taking in more peoples and more cultures. In the following four essays, we look into the important trends in the region.

Conflicts and Disputes over Maritime Interests in East Asian Seas: The Role of Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies
Prospects for Change on the Korean Peninsula
ASEAN’s Positive Record and Ambitious Plans
Shifting Definitions of “East Asia” and Regional Cooperation