Episode 4: “Trouble in the East China Sea” with Rintaro Nishimura
Listen and subscribe to our podcast: Via Spotify | Via Apple Podcasts This week, Max talks with Rintaro Nishimura, one of the co-managing editors at NUPR, about the tensions between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. They explore the history of these islands as well as recent actions taken by Japan and […]
Can China and Japan End Their Game of Chicken in the East China Sea?
As the world combats COVID-19, China has been increasing its maritime activities in the East China Sea. On May 10, the Japanese foreign ministry lodged an official complaint with China over an incident where two Chinese ships chased a Japanese fishing boat close to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands. A month later, four Chinese vessels, one […]
One Protest, Two Perspectives
One-nation, two-systems: the political reintegration of Hong Kong into China after a century of being a British colony has recently proved problematic, as the people of Hong Kong have taken to the streets to demand further democratic development. The 1997 Agreement placed the former British colony in a semi-autonomous position, where basic civil and political […]
The Japan Conference, Revisionist History, and East Asian Politics
On September 3rd Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled his cabinet, a common political action in Japan, often used as a way of maintaining support. The new cabinet included five women, which was widely considered a nod to female voters and a move to make politics more inclusive in a country with very few women […]
Setting Alight the Molotov Cocktail: The Kashmir Question
“It is an irony of history that by a combination of fortuitous circumstances a tiny nation of Kashmiris has been placed in a position of great importance, where it can be instrumental in making or marring the future of so many.” – Prem Nath Bazaz (1967) Hindustan’s partition into Pakistan and India precipitated problems and […]
Reviving a Power in East Asia: Japanese Remilitarization
President Obama’s plan to “pivot to Asia” seems to have been put on hold. The idea to increase U.S. military presence in Asia was prompted by the economic and military rise of China, the nuclear threat in North Korea and a rocky relationship with Russia. However, global crises like the rise of ISIS have brought […]
The Third Gender People of Pakistan
Perhaps the most appropriate way to begin this article is by stating a disclaimer: the name attached to this article is a pseudonym, and I have chosen to write this under a false name for a number of reasons that do not need to be elaborated upon. However, this was an article I felt […]
The Question of 2014: The Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement
The United States and Afghanistan are at a pivotal point in their relationship in which current negotiations over the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) could have either beneficial or catastrophic effects for both nations. The outcome of these negotiations will dictate how much of a military presence, if any, the US will have in Afghanistan […]
A Letter to Kerry on Afghanistan
Dear Secretary Kerry: The women of Afghanistan need your help. As head of the diplomatic service of the United States, you have the power to shape US bilateral relations with Afghanistan and therefore direct US involvement in the country. Your recent participation in Afghan peace talks shows that Afghanistan is a top priority; I […]
The Salary Man Lifestyle: A Japanese Work Ethic or Unjust Labor Laws?
In November 2007, third-generation Toyota employee Kenichi Uchino collapsed at work at 4 a.m. after putting in more than 80 hours of overtime for six months. The 30-year-old’s widow, Hiroko, later told reporters that her husband had been overworked by the company, training employees and writing reports that caused him to work overtime hours officially […]