The Japan-Australia relationship is an odd one. Both are fairly loveless in Asia, and Australia has this ability to switch suddenly from an anti-Japan to an anti-China attitude of suspicion.
In recent years the Tiananmen Square "massacre" story has taken something of a beating as people in the square that night, including a Spanish TV unit, have emerged to tell us that there was no massacre in the square.
It's hard to understand the rationale for Western, and Japanese, sanctions against Russia over Ukraine when a federal system that allows both sides reasonable autonomy under a central government is clearly the best answer.
Clearly there are people in Japan who do not want any rapprochement with Pyongyang — who are using the abduction drama to continue the image of a Japan threatened by enemies and needing strong military forces for defense.
The economic recovery we see in Japan now is almost entirely due to the massive 30 percent depreciation of the yen. We are back to the "structural reform" vicious circle of the Koizumi years.
Since the Nobel Peace Prize committee has shown a consistent bias in choosing people who feed self-righteous Western prejudices, it would have a chance to distinguish itself by going the other way if it gave the next peace award to Edward Snowden.
Japan's "honne" and "tatamae" approach to some foreign policy issues has had poor results.
The surprising thing about the scandal of Washington spying on its friends is that people are surprised. Reports of an Australian decoding operation against the Japanese date back to 1976.
Australia's foreign policies are a puzzle. It depends on China to take 35 percent of its exports. Yet its government now wants to cooperate with Japan and U.S. in their anti-China policies.
Australia's foreign policies are a puzzle. It depends on China to take 35 percent of its exports. Yet its government now wants to cooperate with Japan and U.S. in their anti-China policies.
