East Asia Forum The greatest crisis facing Japan is its population problem. Japan’s population has been on the decline since 2010. In 2015, the population appeared to be shrinking at a rate of 270,000 people per year. Recent projections by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research show that even steeper declines are ahead. The population is expected to… Read more »
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/171024063139260.html US mulls sanctions on Myanmar over Rohingya crisis 24 Oct 2017 The United States is considering sanctions against Myanmar authorities for its “violent, traumatic abuses” of the majority Muslim Rohingya in restive Rakhine state. Washington may use a human rights law to target leaders or groups involved in the violence in the western state, the US Department of State said in a statement on… Read more »
East Asia Forum The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is one of China’s most important contemporary initiatives. Building an effective ‘5 + 1’ platform is crucial to the BRI’s implementation. ‘5 + 1’ refers to cooperation between China and the five countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) — Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia — under the BRI framework. The… Read more »
By PhilStar Global KUALA LUMPUR – The reported death of Islamic State (IS)’s top leader in Southeast Asia is a major blow to the jihadists, but analysts warn it remains a potent threat, with battle-hardened fighters set to return from the Middle East. IS regional head Isnilon Hapilon was killed early yesterday during a military offensive to end the months-long… Read more »
By The Straits Times BEIJING (NYTIMES) – No part of the world seems too small, too near or too far for China’s globe-trotting president, Mr Xi Jinping. He has travelled to the tiny Pacific islands of Fiji, toured the neighbouring nations of Central Asia and signalled his interest in Antarctica with a visit to Tasmania, off Australia’s southern coast. This… Read more »
After repeated North Korean threats and advances foreshadowing warfare, countries have met and agreed to increase efforts to protect the Korean Peninsula. The United States, South Korea, and Japan all have signed off to conduct more advanced drills in preparation of a North Korean air strike. They are aiming to launch coordinated counterattacks from Pyongyang. Those who met recently to… Read more »
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/business/china-pollution-economy.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fasia&action=click&contentCollection=asia®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront For the past half-century, we have watched china achieve massive economic growth and development in its economy and population. This growth has caused multiple environmental and social setbacks including it’s air and water pollution. For the first time in this period of economic growth however, we are beginning to see Chinese authorities take action to combat these environmental problems…. Read more »
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/22/asia/japan-election-results/index.html A decision by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to call a snap election appears to have paid o. Abe’s ruling coalition has won a clear majority with more than two-thirds of Parliament’s 465 seats, with the Liberal Democratic Party holding a majority even without its coalition partner, the Komeito party, he told reporters Monday. “We were able to earn… Read more »
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/19/politics/north-korea-officials-mash-up/index.html CIA Director Mike Pompeo said the United States has to act as if North Korea is on the verge of being able to strike it with a missile and act accordingly — and that President Donald Trump is ready to do so. “From a US policy perspective, we ought to behave as if we are on the cusp of… Read more »
(CNN)In an open letter addressed to parliaments in a number of countries, North Korea has declared itself a “full-fledged nuclear power” and accuses US President Donald Trump of “trying to drive the world into a horrible nuclear disaster.” Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop called the message “unprecedented,” noting that North Korea usually chooses different means to communicate. Her office confirmed… Read more »