Japan

Japan Institute for National Fundamentals | English | AcademicThink | July 4, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba withdrew at the last minute from the June 24-25 NATO summit in The Hague, where Japan was expected to play a leading role in enhancing cooperation between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners. Despite Japan's history of security engagement with NATO and former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's attendance at previous summits, Ishiba’s absence was notable, especially as other Indo-Pacific partners faced difficulties attending as well. Japanese officials cited the challenge of securing a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and the absence of Australian and South Korean leaders as reasons for his cancellation. However, critics argue that Ishiba should have attended to demonstrate Japan’s commitment.

At the NATO summit, there was a focus on increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, a goal supported by the U.S. Department of Defense and echoed in calls for Japan to raise its military budget. The U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting scheduled for July 1 was postponed, reportedly at the U.S. request for Japan to increase defense spending, though Japanese officials denied this connection. Observers suggest Ishiba may be avoiding highlighting Japan’s defense budget increase ahead of the House of Councilors election in July, concerned about public reaction to potential tax hikes.

The article argues that Ishiba and his government should openly communicate the necessity of increasing defense spending amid intensifying security threats, as outlined in Japan’s Defense Ministry white paper. Rather than evading the issue, the election campaign should be used as an opportunity to gain public support for strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities. The piece concludes that avoiding this debate undermines public trust and that transparent discussion is warranted.

Japan Institute for National Fundamentals | English | AcademicThink | July 4, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

On June 30, 2025, Japan responded strongly to remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump in The Hague, where he compared U.S. military strikes on Iran to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, claiming both actions ended wars. Japanese officials and commentators rejected this analogy, emphasizing the fundamental differences between these events.

Japan points out that the attack on Pearl Harbor targeted military bases and was followed by Japan seeking surrender through Soviet mediation, which ultimately failed due to Soviet betrayal. In contrast, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki targeted cities with large civilian populations, resulting in over 200,000 deaths and occurring while Japan was already seeking ceasefire. The strikes on Iran were limited to nuclear facilities suspected of weapon development and therefore fundamentally differ from the attacks on Japan during WWII.

Japanese opposition to President Trump's remarks was strongly voiced by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Yoshiko Sakurai, president of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals. They stressed that these comments reveal a lack of understanding of historical realities and hurt the bond between the two nations. They urged the U.S. to reflect deeply on the remarks to prevent lingering resentment and to ensure a stronger and broader alliance to deter regional threats and promote global peace.

非常勤職員募集情報（技術補佐員1名・災害放射線医学分野）

International Research Institute of Disaster Science | Local Language | AcademicThink | July 4, 2025 | UndeterminedEmployment

Tohoku University’s Disaster Radiology Medicine Division within the Disaster Medicine Research Department is recruiting one part-time Technical Assistant. The position is hourly employment, with negotiable working hours such as approximately five hours a day, three days a week. Applicants must submit a resume and a work history by July 31, 2025, although the application period may close early if a candidate is selected.

Applications and inquiries should be sent to the Department of Radiological Technology at Tohoku University, addressed to Hayashi, with the envelope clearly marked "Application Documents Enclosed." The university promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and encourages applications from diverse candidates.

Tohoku University offers extensive childcare support, including three nursery schools for university faculty and staff, and daycare facilities for mildly ill children, making it the largest on-site childcare provider among national universities in Japan. Additional work-life balance and family support information is available on the university’s DEI Promotion Center and Human Resources Planning Department websites.