Category: Japan
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Middle Powers in a Fragmenting World Order: From Balancers to System Shapers
The idea of “middle powers” has evolved significantly from its early usage in post-World War II diplomacy, where countries like India, Japan, and Australia were often seen as secondary actors navigating between superpowers. Historically, middle powers derived influence not from sheer economic or military dominance, but from their ability to…
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Japan’s Rising Bond Yields: The End of an Era of Cheap Money?
For decades, Japan represented an anomaly in the global financial system—an economy trapped in deflation, ultra-low interest rates, and a central bank that effectively controlled the bond market. Today, that story is being rewritten. The sharp rise in Japanese Government Bond (JGB) yields—especially the 10-year yield touching around 2.3%, a…
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Japan’s Manufacturing Slowdown: A Warning Signal for Global Supply Chains
A Historical Echo of Industrial Fatigue Japan’s latest flash manufacturing PMI, slipping to 48.3 in October 2025, marks the weakest level in 19 months and continues a four-month contraction streak. Historically, Japan’s industrial downturns often precede wider global slowdowns. In the early 1990s “lost decade,” weakening domestic demand, overvalued currency,…
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Japan’s Export Slump and Its Ripple Effect on India
Japan’s latest trade numbers carry a warning not just for Tokyo, but for Asia’s broader economic landscape—including India. For the fourth consecutive month, Japanese exports contracted. The headline numbers are stark: automobile exports plunged 28.4%, while shipments of chipmaking equipment to the U.S. collapsed by 38.9%. Overall exports dipped only…
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EU-Japan Competitiveness Alliance: A New Power Bloc in a Divided Global Economy
In a significant geopolitical and economic move, the European Union and Japan have formally launched a “Competitiveness Alliance” aimed at bolstering cooperation across trade, defense, and technology. This partnership, announced during the 30th EU-Japan Summit in Tokyo, is not merely symbolic—it reflects deepening anxieties over the evolving world order, particularly…
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Japan’s Twin Challenge of Productivity and Demographic Decline
Japan stands at a pivotal juncture where the interplay between its declining population and stagnating productivity could define its economic future. As the nation grapples with one of the world’s most rapidly aging societies, the question is not just about reversing population decline, but about reimagining the entire structure of…
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Global Economy Distribution 2025: A Deepening Imbalance Between Population and GDP
In 2025, the global economy remains starkly unbalanced when examined through the lens of population versus GDP distribution. The following offers a compelling snapshot of how economic power continues to be concentrated in regions with smaller population shares, raising critical questions about equity, global development, and economic sustainability. The Population-Economy…
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Rising Debt Levels: A Looming Crisis for Developing Nations
The global economy continues to recover unevenly from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, but one concern that remains deeply entrenched is the rapidly rising debt levels across the developing world. For many Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), debt servicing obligations have become a significant…
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Why Has India Lagged Behind Southeast Asia and China in Development?
India has made significant progress over the last 75 years, but its growth trajectory has not matched the rapid rise of Southeast Asian nations or China. Countries like South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong—often referred to as the “Asian Tigers”—have witnessed remarkable economic transformations. Similarly, China’s unprecedented growth since…
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