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August 13, 2026
 

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Lee Jong-wha
Global economic imbalances are widening again as U.S. deficits and China¡¯s surpluses grow, creating financial vulnerabilities that require domestic fixes and coordinated international management.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 28, 2026
The world¡¯s biggest economies face a dangerous imbalance problem
Only by taking coordinated action to manage the associated risks can the world prevent today¡¯s tensions from erupting in another global economic crisis.
Fostering technical, digital and social skills across all working-age groups, including older workers, is essential for Asian economies to harness AI effectively.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 5, 2025
Can AI be Asia¡¯s next growth engine?
Using new digital technologies ¡ª and, in particular, AI ¡ª Asia can invigorate productivity growth, ease labor shortages and extend people¡¯s working lives.
Marriage is rapidly declining in South Korea as rising education and career aspirations collide with traditional gender norms.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 22, 2025
South Korea¡¯s baby bust threatens its demographic future
At 1.2 births per woman, Japan is still reproducing faster than South Korea, where the birth rate has dropped to just 0.75 ¡ª the lowest in the world.
South Korea will hold its next presidential election on Tuesday. Whoever wins will have to confront numerous intertwined challenges head-on.
COMMENTARY / World
May 30, 2025
South Korea faces a triple challenge ahead of its election
South Korea will hold its next presidential election on Tuesday. Whoever wins will have to confront numerous intertwined challenges head-on.
Asian countries can counter Donald Trump¡¯s protectionism by deepening regional trade, financial cooperation and strategic alliances to reduce U.S. dependence.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 1, 2025
Asia must unite to survive Trump 2.0
Asian countries can counter Donald Trump¡¯s protectionism by deepening regional trade, financial cooperation and strategic alliances to reduce U.S. dependence.
By promoting healthier aging through measures to extend workforce participation, increase social engagement and improve health care systems, Asia¡¯s policymakers could create a ¡°silver demographic dividend¡± that helps to sustain the region¡¯s economic dynamism.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 17, 2025
Reaping Asia¡¯s silver demographic dividend
Concerns that older workers are not as productive as their younger counterparts are overblown.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 11, 2021
Can Pax Sinica replace Pax Americana?
Now, China is one centennial down ¡ª and, according to President Xi, it has achieved its first goal. Is the ¡®China Dream¡¯ within reach?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 14, 2021
Building an inclusive digital future
AI, robots and other new technologies could threaten 15% of the average company¡¯s workforce as soon as 2025.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 4, 2021
Is the ¡®Asian century¡¯ really here?
Some regard the current crisis as a tipping point that will accelerate Asia¡¯s global resurgence. They point out that Asian countries managed the pandemic better than the West did.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 10, 2021
Will East Asia win the pandemic?
East Asian economies should take great pride in what they achieved in 2020. But they cannot rest on their laurels.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 7, 2020
RCEP has its limits when it comes to saving multilateral trade
The RCEP¡¯s real significance lies in China¡¯s participation. It is the first regional multilateral trade agreement the country has joined.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 4, 2020
The perils of COVID-19 and big brother government in Asia
Governments¡¯ newfound authority to regulate behavior and collect personal data due to the pandemic risks enabling serious violations of civil liberties and human rights.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 5, 2020
Preventing the ¡®Japanification¡¯ of East Asia¡¯s economies
The former ¡®tigers¡¯ must tackle structural weaknesses to avoid a low-growth future
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 4, 2019
Saving the Japan-South Korea relationship
Historical and territorial disputes have consistently marred bilateral ties, but relations between the two democracies have hit a new low.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 17, 2018
Education in the age of automation
The outcome of the race between technology and education will determine whether the opportunities presented by major innovations are seized, and whether the benefits of progress are widely shared.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 27, 2018
Could North Korea be the next Vietnam?
Vietnam¡¯s ¡®Doi Moi¡¯ economic reforms resulted in the creation of a market economy under the firm rule of the Communist Party. North Korea has what it needs to achieve a similar transformation.
COMMENTARY / World
May 30, 2018
Making the most of Asia¡¯s aging populations
With the right policies, Asian economies can mitigate the risks of this demographic trend and capitalize on their ¡®silver dividend¡¯ to become more productive, resilient and dynamic than ever.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 2, 2018
How Asia should respond to U.S. protectionism
Asian economies should use the threat of broader U.S. tariffs as an opportunity to revamp their own development models.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 31, 2018
Asia¡¯s central banks should prepare to raise interest rates
As the global economic recovery gains momentum, the time has come to begin tightening monetary policy.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 6, 2017
Time for South Korea to face its looming crisis
In the 1990s, South Korea waited for a crisis to erupt before responding with necessary reforms. But now the country is confronting a new set of internal and external risks.
Gut bacteria may be behind many of Â鶹´«Ã½ colorectal cancer cases
A Japanese research team found that a toxin produced by certain E. coli strains, colibactin, caused genetic mutations in nearly half of colorectal cancer cases studied
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
She is Russia¡¯s richest woman. Her business empire is going up in flames.
Tatyana Kim, the head and co-founder of Wildberries, speaks about Ukrainian drone attacks on the company's warehouses in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, at an unidentified location, in this still image from a handout video released on July 31.
Severe tropical storm Chan-hom makes landfall near Tokyo
Severe Tropical Storm Chan-hom made landfall around Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Tuesday night.
What Â鶹´«Ã½ language rules for permanent residency should look like
Potential health care workers hoping to find work in Japan take Japanese language instruction in Jakarta. Not all applicants for permanent residency should be expected to reach this level of proficiency.
Forty-five meters down, a diver races to record a fleeting moment of WWII history
Kingo Wakasa photographs the kamikaze plane wing section he discovered at the USS Emmons wreck site.
Ikarigata closer to emulating older brother Fujinokawa than many think
The future Fujinokawa (third from left) and Ikarigata (right) compete against each other at ages 5 and 3, respectively.
Where do foreign residents in Japan want to die?
The Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery is one of the few cemeteries in Japan that allows burials, albeit with conditions for the deceased, including foreign nationality and permanent residency in Kanagawa Prefecture.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
As Â鶹´«Ã½ concrete jungles sizzle, urban forestry offers an all-natural fix
People and birds find relief from the sun in Tokyo's Nakano Ward earlier this month. While experts agree that urban greening is crucial to mitigating the impact of climate change, trees are becoming even more scarce in Japanese cities.

Podcast

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

Longform

Disaster relief workers Taichi Kato (left) and Seiji Yoshimura enter the collapsed living quarters at Kyuganji temple in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
What Kumamoto revealed about Â鶹´«Ã½ earthquake readiness
By Alex K.T. Martin

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