Asia Pacific
A Neglected Frontier: Challenges to Japan’s Cyber Security
2020’s SolarWinds cyberattack, which affected numerous US government agencies, underscores the growing relevance of IT security and cyber-crime to national governments. Not solely the work of individual criminals, crimes perpetrated by state-sponsored or entirely state-operated hacker groups have increasingly been alleged. With cyberspace growing in importance as a frontier of political contestation, states must act; what steps has Japan been taking, and what barriers are there to enhancing Japan’s cybersecurity?
A Big Deal: Signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
On November 15th 2020, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was signed. An ASEAN-led initiative, the agreement was signed during a virtual ceremony in Vietnam. The bloc takes sole position as the world’s largest trading bloc, representing roughly 30% of global GDP.
The signing of this imminent and long-awaited free trade agreement is between 15 nations: the 10 ASEAN members in addition to China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
The timing of this pan-Asian trading agreeement’s signing is symbolic – amid a global pandemic that has shaken the global economy and caused free trade and globalisation to be questioned; however, it’s significance goes far beyond symbolism.
While this agreement appears to support ASEAN’s incrementalist approach, the pact will do little to halt China’s creeping dominance over the surrounding region, nor influence America’s position of distancing itself from China, or indeed influence any agreement in which China plays a part.
Yayasan Rama Sesana and the Quest for Female Reproductive Health in Bali
Yayasan Rama Sesana is a non-profit organization in Bali, Indonesia, which helps vulnerable women in both urban and rural areas take care of their reproductive health by educating them about healthy behaviors and by providing them with donation-based health services at its community centers and mobile clinics. As a service for women from mostly women, the organization aims to create a healthier generation through female empowerment. We spoke to founder, director and general practitioner Dr. Luh Putu Upadisari about her inspiring work and her vision. Through her work, more than 72,000 people have received educational and health services, which have contributed to increased community knowledge, female empowerment and gender equality.
Japan – Taking Initiative in the Asia-Pacific Region
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga embarked on his first diplomatic visits last month, meeting the Vietnamese and Indonesian governments. Suga’s choice of Vietnam and Indonesia, both important members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), demonstrates his aim to continue the policy formulated under his predecessor Shinzo Abe for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). Alongside this, there are indications that Japan will step up the involvement of its defence industry both for the country’s own security and that of the wider Asia-Pacific region. With an ineffective US Asia policy and a gutted US State Department, the moment is right for Japan to take the initiative towards peace and prosperity in the region.
COVID 19 and the Shifting Maritime Balance
In South East Asia, the reduction of the navy budgets in key countries might threaten the balance of power by weakening their presence in a highly disputed area. Indeed, China has already adapted its policy in the South China Sea to benefit from the weakening of its opponents.
North Korea’s recent nuclear advances: what are the implications for European security?
On the 10th of October 2020, North Korea unveiled what appeared to be its biggest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile, during a military parade organised in Pyongyang. This new ICBM, although currently untested, reflects North Korean nuclear advancements and revives the global debate surrounding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. For the European Union, North Korean nuclear capabilities represent a strong risk for its security.
‘Suganomics’: What can we expect?
Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who took up office on 16th September, faces the challenge of revitalizing an economy still reeling from the effects of COVID-19. There are indications that Suga will continue many elements of his predecessor Shinzo Abe’s ‘Abenomics’ policy. Nevertheless, his economic policies are likely to diverge from Abe’s in a few key areas, owing to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and Suga’s tenure as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.
Thailand’s Economy and the Pandemic: Facing Delays and Difficult Choices
Thailand is one of the few countries that can claim to have restricted the internal spread of COVID-19 so far. The country has yet to reach 3500 total cases, with limited deaths, currently at 58. A timely border closure supported by initiatives that were broadly embraced by Thai citizens have contributed to this arguably successful containment, especially considering the size of Thailand’s population at nearly 70 million citizens. But has it truly been a success?
Southeast Asia’s Transboundary Haze: Obstacles to a Regional Solution
The so-called ‘ASEAN Way’ can be an obstacle to effectively addressing regional transboundary issues, and the transboundary haze problem is no exception.
EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: Vietnam’s Competitive Gains
Given the recent slowdown in trade growth in major economies, Vietnam remains an outlier. The country’s import-export turnover crossed USD 500 billion in 2019.
