National Security Council — 9DASHLINE

Tokyo does not need constitutional reform to bolster defence

Written by Adrienne Wu and Melynn Oliver

Those who argue for a formal remilitarisation of Japan should consider why they advocate such a move. Amending Japan’s constitution has proven unnecessary to expand the SDF, therefore the only major benefit is to assay the fears of the Japanese public and expand its international role.

East Asia9DLMay 5, 20239DashLine, Tokyo does not need constitutional reform to bolster defence, Adrienne Wu, Melynn Oliver, Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, defence budget, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Tokyo, Japan's security, defence capabilities, Article 9 framework, Article 9, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, constitutional reform, US, Indo-Pacific, Japan’s pacifist constitution, pacifism, US forces, World War II, Korean War, Washington, Japan’s Supreme Court, right to self-defence, sovereignty, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, remilitarisation of Japan, Defense Agency, defence-related exports, collective defence, National Security Council, National Security Strategy (NSS), House of Representatives, Public support, Russia’s nuclear threats, Russia, China, anti-nuclear stance, Japan’s security role, tax hikes, National Defense Strategy (NDS), Defense Build-up Program (DBP), heightened alert posture, global power shifts, strategic challenge, North Korea, counter-strike capabilities, defence procurement and industrial development strategy, strategic clarity, strategic ambiguity, Taiwan, US-Japan Alliance, Quad, NATO

Decoupling from China is not so easy for Japan and Korea

Written by Dr Chang-min Lee

Although both allies of the US, Japan and Korea are forced to compete with each other economically, which is exacerbated by persisting political problems between Tokyo and Seoul.

East Asia9DLApril 10, 20239DashLine, Decoupling from China is not so easy for Japan and Korea, CHANG-MIN LEE, White House, US economic security strategy, economic security, President Joe Biden, CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, China, US-China competition for hegemony, US-China competition, Japan, Korea, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, decoupling, technology, semiconductor, Samsung Electronics, chip makers, SK Hynix, electric vehicles, North America, Russia, automakers, core minerals, US-China rivalry, COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerability of global supply chains, supply chain security, Reshoring Initiative, foreign direct investment, Near-shoring, Mexico, American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, small yard, high fence, friend-shoring, AI, quantum technology, allies, technology gap, Economic Security Promotion Act, Kishida government, Biden administration, chip alliance, IBM, Rapidus, Toyota, Denso, Sony, NEC, NTT, Softbank, Kioxia, Toshiba, Tokyo Electron, high-tech, TSMC, Taiwan, export, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Human Rights Violation Act, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, foreign trade, friendly nations, National Security Council, pro-China

Sri Lanka in crisis: Why the past lives on in its collective future

Written by Ambika Satkunanathan

The determination of the Rajapaksas to stay in power seems partly due to their inability to comprehend protestors’ demands for accountability or to internalise their descent from god-like status to memes and jokes.

Taliban’s rapid territorial gains: The future of the post-US Afghanistan

Written by Abdul Basit

The gap and the lack of trust between Afghanistan’s political and military leadership have equally contributed to the Afghan security forces’ poor performance against the Taliban’s ground offensive. It is a well-known fact that several units of the Afghan security forces were not fighting by making arrangements with the Taliban, such as staging fake operations.

Faultlines9DLJuly 19, 20219dashline, Taliban, Afghanistan, Ghani, Pakistan, Tajikistan, China, Iran, Badakhshan, Takhar, Faryab, Paktia, Pashtun, Fasihuddin, Wakhan Corridor, Northern Alliance, US, United States, NATO, National Security Council, Kabul, Abdul Basit