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Gregory Clark
Gregory Clark has been around a long time (born 1936) and has done a lot of things. As a result, he likes to comment on foreign affairs, economic policies and education plus events in China, Russia, Japan and Latin America (he speaks all four languages).
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 18, 2017
Elections, abductees, nuclear weapons and North Korea
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's unusual election call was designed to head off Diet questioning that could have put him in serious trouble.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 7, 2017
Former diplomat fears war on horizon
A former key Foreign Ministry negotiator sees a window of opportunity in which both sides can be persuaded to pull back, but it will only last a year or so.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 9, 2017
False claims and false flag stories
Nowadays, Russian, media outlets are more trustworthy than their Western counterparts.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 28, 2017
Global warming and nuclear power
Rather than the evils of global warming, the debate should focus on how to supply the world's energy needs without polluting the atmosphere.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 29, 2017
Canberra's national identity problem
Australia is grappling with immigration policy, and could stand to take a few pointers from Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 7, 2017
When spies are out of control
U.S. top spies should go back to doing their real work instead of inventing fairy tales.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 15, 2017
Trump vs. loose economics
Trade liberalization is a worthy goal. But it should come about through carefully crafted bilateral deals rather than blunderbuss multilateral agreements.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 25, 2017
Trump and anti-Russia frenzy
Donald Trump is a creature of instinct, and sometimes instinct can be closer to the truth than the dogmas of our allegedly better educated elites.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2017
The perils of excessive moralism in foreign policy
The liberal moralistic approach to foreign affairs can be welcome, but there is also an obligation to find the causes of the seemingly immoral behavior of the other side.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 12, 2016
A Machiavellian U.S. and Japan's Northern Territories
Shinzo Abe will likely be disappointed if he expects progress toward a resolution of Japan's territorial dispute with Russia will be made when he meets with Vladimir Putin this week.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 28, 2016
Targeted protectionism can aid developing economies
Thai-style targeted protection example could work wonders, even in some of the basket-case economies in Africa and the Middle East.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 18, 2016
Trump will have to overcome the U.S. foreign policy 'Blob'
Believe it or not, Donald Trump actually has some good ideas on trade blocs, the economy and foreign policy.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 28, 2016
Syria's civil war and the bias in Western media
Is there one standard of morality for our friends and another for those we choose to demonize?
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 5, 2016
Australia's China policy adrift
Australia's joining with the U.S. and Japan to oppose China's efforts in the South China Sea has incurred the wrath of Beijing.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 8, 2016
Timid Chilcot report is just a starting point
More admission of past Western mistakes in the Middle East is badly needed.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 29, 2016
Taiwan-China ties may be on a rocky course
With the election of Tsai Ing-wen, a return to an earlier era of confrontation between Taiwan and China is possible.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 3, 2016
Distorted news on Russia
Russia appears to be the target of black information by Western intelligence agencies.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 11, 2016
A 'new approach' for the Russian territorial dispute?
If Shinzo Abe makes any attempt to offer concessions to Moscow over the Russian-held islands off Hokkaido, hawks in the Foreign Ministry are sure to fight him every step of the way.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 20, 2016
Australia's slow move toward China is on track
But for a chance call to a small Nagoya manufacturer in 1971, it is quite likely relations between Australia and China would have stayed in deep freeze for several more decades.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2016
Foolishness over North Korea
The U.S. policy of diplomatically isolating Pyongyang is a failure and could be standing in the way of a solution to the impasse with North Korea.

Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?