Tokyo

North Korea wants to host Summer Olympics

Posted by Craig Hill ⋅ February 17, 2014 ⋅ Leave a comment

Kim Jong Un, rotund ruler of North Korea, expressed a desire for North Korea to hold the next Summer Olympics when it is held in 2016. He was quickly informed that it had been decided years ago that it would be held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 2016 and in Tokyo, Japan in … Continue reading →

Australia backs Japan’s military buildup at risk of upsetting China

Posted by Craig Hill ⋅ October 16, 2013 ⋅ 2 Comments

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop threw Australia’s support behind Japan’s attempts to shift its military to a more “normal” defence posture in a speech in Tokyo yesterday. Australia’s backing for Japan’s proposed move away from a purely defensive military runs the risk of sparking resentment in China, which retains deep suspicion of the hawkish Abe … Continue reading →

Australian Prime Minister says “Japan is our closest friend in Asia”

Posted by Craig Hill ⋅ October 10, 2013 ⋅ 4 Comments

Tony Abbott has declared Japan Australia’s “closest friend in Asia”, elevating the former World War II aggressor past both China and Indonesia as he continued his regional charm offensive. Mr Abbott met the conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 18-member East Asia Summit being held over two days in the tiny … Continue reading →

Japan attacks Australia’s kangaroo culling to justify Tokyo’s whaling program

Posted by Craig Hill ⋅ July 11, 2013 ⋅ 5 Comments

A Japanese diplomat has seized on the slaughter and consumption of kangaroos to justify Tokyo’s whaling program. The comments by Noriyuki Shikata came as Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus at the International Court of Justice accused Japan of using “false” and “offensive” statements to justify its annual “scientific” whale hunt in Antarctic waters. Canberra has ramped up … Continue reading →

Canberra doesn’t understand reality of China-Japan conflict, or consequences to Australia

Posted by Craig Hill ⋅ April 6, 2013 ⋅ 1 Comment

In the event of a conflict between China and Japan, it’s hard to think of a country that would be more exposed than Australia. Yet several leading defence scholars have warned that this prospect is receiving little attention from policy-makers and academics, and Australia is in denial about the risks. Defence specialist and consultant Ross … Continue reading →