The Fukushima nuclear meltdown has forced Japan to reconsider its energy policy, and as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of the crisis triggered by the March 2011 earthquake, public opinion remains deeply divided about the country’s future energy policy including nuclear power. The United States, too, is facing its own challenges, as a bonanza in natural gas within its borders in recent years is redefining the meaning of energy independence. How both countries are looking beyond petroleum to meet their respective energy needs, and prospects for alternative energy sources including nuclear power, were the topics of discussion at the latest Japan-U.S. Joint Public Policy Forum, held in Tokyo on October 31, 2012. more

Constitutional revision is a perennial topic in Japanese political discussion, with Article 9—which renounces war and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes—subject to particularly vigorous debate. This new Asia Program publication asks whether it’s not “A Time for Change” for Japan’s “Peace Constitution.” more

This rigorous comparative study of national identity in Japan, South Korea, and China examines countries with long histories influenced by Confucian thought, surging nationalism, and far-reaching ambitions for regional importance. East Asian National Identities compares national identities in terms of six dimensions encompassing ideology; history; the salience of cultural, political, and economic factors; superiority as a model national community; displacement of the U.S. in Asia; and depth of national identity. more

A report on a December 2010 conference in Tokyo organized by the Asia Program and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) convening experts from Japan and the United States to discuss the implications of the 2008 global financial crisis. more