Asia News

The Daily Signal delivers Asia-Pacific news with reporting and conservative commentary on regional security challenges, U.S. military alliances, China containment strategy, Taiwan defense, North Korea threats, economic competition, and America’s vital interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
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    • Opinion

    Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Addresses Joint Meeting of Congress

    Wednesday, Prime Minster Shinzo Abe was the first Japanese Prime Minister to address a joint meeting of Congress. During his week-long visit to the U.S., Prime Minister Abe emphasized the strong relationship between the U.S. and Japan and pushed for completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement. Abe began his address remembering his…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    What Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Said About World War II, U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation

    Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hit the ball out of the park during his trip to America, but stumbled while rounding third base. Whether one highlights the success or shortcoming reflects the assessor’s focus either on the present or on Japan’s past. While most attention was focused on Abe’s historic speech to a joint meeting…
    Bruce Klingner
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    • Opinion

    Challenges on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

    Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang announced the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) initiative during their visits to Southeast Asian countries in October 2013. The AIIB will focus on the development of infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and is expected to be fully established by the end of 2015. As of…
    Yexin Mao
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    • Opinion

    550 Slaves Rescued in Indonesia: Time to Get Serious About Fighting Human Trafficking in Asia

    An estimated 550 slaves were rescued from the remote Indonesian island Benjina late last week. The International Organization for Migration believes there are at least 4,000 men that have not yet been rescued and may be victims of human trafficking. Events in Benjina are a reminder that the fight against human trafficking in Asia is…
    Olivia Enos
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    • Opinion

    Cyber Espionage: Report Claims China Behind Southeast Asia Hacks

    Cyber security firm FireEye’s recent report details persistent cyber espionage in Southeast Asian countries over the past decade. Many of the victims include defense and communication firms and local journalists who reported on regional affairs and Chinese government issues. The report claims these attacks were state sponsored, likely by the Chinese government—a known cyber aggressor….
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    Pakistan’s Selective Fight Against Terrorism Threatens U.S. Security Goals in South Asia

    Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry declared all terrorism in Pakistan “unacceptable” and offered $250 million to aid refugees displaced by the Pakistani military offensive against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in North Waziristan. The Pakistani military has repeatedly tried to assure Washington that it is committed to cracking down on all terrorist…
    Lisa Curtis
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    • Opinion

    Foreign Ministers of South Korea, Japan, and China Finally Meet

    Saturday, the Foreign Ministers of East Asia’s largest economies met for the first trilateral meeting in three years. The ministers have met on the sidelines of regional meetings before, but the hope is that this first three-way meeting between Ministers Yun Byung-se, Fumio Kishida, and Wang Yi is a step toward stabilizing relations amongst the…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    How Asia, U.S. Can Help End Human Trafficking

    Of the nearly 21 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, an estimated two-thirds are from Asia. Many factors contribute to the severity of the problem in Asia, but one stands out among the rest: the lack of rule of law. Poorly trained local law enforcement, inadequate legal protections, and corrupt judicial systems are at the…
    Olivia Enos
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    • News

    South Korean Pastor’s ‘Drop Box’ Saves Hundreds of Unwanted, But ‘Perfect’ Lives

    Most people associate the words “drop box,” with the online file-sharing tool that allows users to share data across computers and smartphones from anywhere, instantly. But for Jong-rak Lee, a pastor from Seoul, South Korea, the term has a very different meaning. For Lee, a drop box is a way to save hundreds of unwanted…
    Kelsey Bolar
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    • Opinion

    2015 Economic Freedom of Japan

    Japan’s economic freedom score is tied for the second highest it’s ever been since the Index of Economic Freedom was first published more than 20 years ago. Scoring a 73.3, Japan ranks 20th in the world for economic freedom, an improvement over the previous year’s rank of 25. It continues to rank sixth among countries…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    The U.S.–Japan Global Alliance in a Troubled World

    The taking of Japanese hostages by ISIS this week is a reminder of what a dangerous place the world is, even for a nation as committed to peace as Japan has been for the past 70 years. Since taking office in 2012, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has implemented several improvements to Japan’s defense, including a…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    Pushing Reforms in 2015 for Japan’s Economy

    This year will be important for Japan’s economic growth as the country continues to struggle to control its debt problem. In the coming months, observers should watch several key indicators of Japan’s economic performance. Given Japan’s economic troubles, it is important that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe push ahead with his “third arrow” reforms, including continued…
    Riley Walters
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    • News

    Doctors Killed His Mom Because She Was Depressed. Now He Speaks Out Against Euthanasia.

    Just weeks ago, the world watched as Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman with terminal brain cancer, followed through on her vow to take her own life. After receiving a prognosis of six months to live, Maynard and her husband moved from San Francisco to Portland, Ore., where it was legal to obtain a prescription that…
    Kelsey Bolar
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    • Opinion

    A Day to Remember Those in Asia Persecuted for Their Faith

    Today, Human Rights Day, countless individuals in Asia are facing immense religious persecution. The Pew Forum for Religion and Public Life found that religious hostilities in 2014 are at a six-year high. Pew estimates that one-third of the world’s worst oppressors of religious freedom are in Asia. And almost half of the worst social hostilities…
    Olivia Enos
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    • Opinion

    Nearly Two-Thirds of Human Trafficking Victims Are from Asia

    The 2014 Global Slavery Index (GSI) found that there are nearly 36 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. Of that, 36 million, nearly two-thirds, are from Asia. Without serious attention from the U.S. and Asian governments, millions of adults and children will continue to be forced into bonded labor, sex trafficking, slave-like conditions, and child…
    Olivia Enos
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    • Opinion

    How Hiking Taxes Is Working Out for Japan (Hint: Not Great)

    Japan is suffering another economic free fall. Following a second quarter GDP decline of an annualized 7.3 percent, this last quarter the economy in Tokyo sank again by another 1.6 percent.  The land of the rising sun is looking a lot like the land of the setting sun.  There are lessons here for U.S. policymakers…
    Stephen Moore
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    • Opinion

    Japan Falls into Recession

    Japan’s economy contracted by 1.6 percent annually between July and September, according to preliminary results released Sunday night. Following a second-quarter contraction of 7.3 percent, Japan has fallen into a recession, casting a shadow over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic plan “Abenomics.” Japan should end its quantitative easing, which has increased its national debt, and…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    Why Asia’s Economic Miracle May Be Ending

    Historically, economics has often driven the narrative surrounding presidential visits to Asia. Consider President Obama’s 2009 trip to China in the midst of the global financial crisis. It gave wings to a narrative about China’s rise and American decline. The economic environment may be changing again. Only this time, the change is less dramatic and…
    William T. Wilson
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    • Opinion

    The Problem with Japan’s “Womenomics”

    On October 20, two female ministers in Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet, Yuko Obuchi and Midori Matsushima, resigned over alleged improper use of campaign funds. Their resignations raise questions about the viability of one of the Prime Minister’s central social and economic policies: “womenomics.” The essence of womenomics is to increase the number of…
    Arthur Oaden
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    • Opinion

    Asia’s Essential Contributions to America

    America is inextricably linked to Asia; whether through trade, investment, or immigration, the United States and Asia have been and will continue to be vital and lasting partners. The Heritage Foundation’s latest product, the 2014 Asia Update: What’s at Stake for America, visually represents the myriad of factors that make Asia so important for America….
    Olivia Enos
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