by Phillip Charlier

Japan and the East Asian region face a new era with the election of The Democratic Party of Japan. The ousted Liberal Democratic Party had held the reins of the nation since 1955, dominating the political landscape and being closely identified with Japan’s post-war economic development and foreign policy.

Domestically, Japan will now see important changes in economic and social policies, with an increase in welfare and domestic spending, tax reform and some decentralisation of power to regional governments. But it is the foreign policy front that will be of most interest to Japan’s partners and neighbors… Read more…