The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus Newsletter

Newsletter No. 34. 2012  
August 20, 2012


Greetings!

Two contradictory tendencies characterize recent developments in the Asia-Pacific and they form the context for this week's issue. Growing geopolitical tensions amidst rising nationalism increasingly characterize China-Japan, Japan-Korea, US-North Korea, and China-Southeast Asian relations with flashpoints at Dokdo/Takeshima, Senkakus/Diaoyu, US-North Korea and China-ASEAN relations. In a series of major articles, Morton Halperin offers an approach to breaking the US-North Korea gridlock, Leon Sigal reviews the history and prospects for US-North Korea relations, and Carlyle Thayer reviews the mounting ASEAN-China conflict over territorial claims to the South China Sea. At the same time, trade integration across Asia provides an alternative perspective on the regional future, as examined by Heribert Dieter.
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In This Issue

Morton H. Halperin
A New Approach to Security in Northeast Asia: Breaking the Gridlock

Leon V. Sigal
In Deep Denial on North Korea and Prospects for US-North Korea Negotiations

Carlyle A. Thayer
ASEAN'S Code of Conduct in the South China Sea: A Litmus Test for Community-Building?

Heribert Dieter
The Advance-and the Limits-of Trade Integration in Asia