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July 24, 2026
 

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Thitinan Pongsudhirak
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on May 30. Washington's push for Asian allies to sharply raise defense spending risks an arms race that could undermine regional cohesion.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 8, 2026
Pete Hegseth¡¯s dangerous call to arms in Asia
What Pete Hegseth fails to realize is that his call for a pan-Asian military build-up risks spiraling into an arms race.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2023
World should tip the scales in Myanmar¡¯s civil war
With Myanmar¡¯s civil war having reached a stalemate, the international community should step in, recognize the civilian government and deliver weapons to its armed wing.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 13, 2022
Polarized world means the end of ASEAN as we know it
Geopolitical shifts have exposed new divisions within ASEAN, and the group¡¯s continued relevance will depend on its ability to set more realistic goals.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 4, 2022
Southeast Asia should prepare for a new cold war
The Soviet Union lost the Cold War, but China is now giving the West a run for its money in the sequel. And Southeast Asia will once again be a major theater.
COMMENTARY / World
May 8, 2016
A role reversal for Myanmar and Thailand
Rarely do next-door neighbors move as rapidly in opposite political directions as Thailand and Myanmar have in the last several years.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 12, 2011
Thai results challenge established regime
The thunderous results of Thailand¡¯s general election July 3 will seem familiar to anyone attuned to the political upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa.
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2011
The Thai-Cambodian battle of the temples
The military skirmishes between Thailand and Cambodia that have claimed more than two dozen lives, caused scores of injuries, and displaced tens of thousands of people since February are primarily attributable to domestic politics in both countries. Rooted in ancient enmities and the legacy of the colonial...
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 4, 2011
Paint Thailand yellow and red, with a caveat to compromise
BANGKOK ¡ª After three consecutive years of deadly street protests, Thailand has arrived at the point where it will need to hold new elections, as the current term of its national assembly expires next December.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 18, 2009
¡®Red shirts¡¯ are in retreat
BANGKOK ¡ª The defeat of the ¡°red-shirt¡± protesters under the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) has restored calm and order in the streets of Bangkok after a day of rioting that resulted in two deaths and scores of injuries. The red shirts have evidently lost the battle, but their...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 25, 2009
Thai pendulum swings to the Establishment
BANGKOK ¡ª Thailand¡¯s political pendulum has now swung all the way back to an era that existed before the rise of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2001. What transpired under Thaksin during 2001-2005 is being undone and redone. Whether the new Democrat Party-led government of Prime Minister...
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 24, 2008
Bush legacy leaves U.S., Asia room to build
BANGKOK ¡ª In his last presidential visit to Asia, U.S. President George W. Bush laid out what he considered was his legacy for the region. But what he left out in his last major Asia policy speech, delivered earlier this month in Bangkok, was as revealing as what he underlined as his success.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 18, 2006
A test for Thai democracy
SINGAPORE -- One year after he was re-elected in a landslide, Thailand¡¯s Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been forced to dissolve the National Assembly and call a snap election. Although his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party commands a 75 percent majority in the assembly, Thaksin is embattled.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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