2020 has gotten off to a frighteningly rocky start. The mounting global tensions of 2019 have continued to simmer at an ever-higher frequency, and at the start of this year, we are already at a geopolitical tipping point. Eurasia Group's annual top risks report has highlighted growing levels of geopolitical risks for a decade, but this is the first year ever that the United States has been given the No. 1 slot, which places it at the top of the list of global boiling points.
The "Great decoupling" of the U.S. and China comes in a close second. While America braces for stormy weather (and a presidential election), Japan is preparing for sunshine as the world comes to Tokyo for the Summer Olympic Games.
The world's eyes will be on Japan and it can look forward to the many perks that come with being the star of the show. 1964 was the first time Japan hosted the Olympics and it provided an opportunity to showcase the miracle of Japan's postwar recovery. However, the rest of the developed world was also relatively stable then.