The Heroism in Edge of Tomorrow
Memo #378 By: Cyrus Huiyong Qiu – cyrusqiu [at] mail.ubc.ca Doug Liman’s epic action sci-fi movie Edge of Tomorrow (starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt) in 2014 was the very first adaptation of Japanese “light novel,” in this case one titled All You Need is Kill, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. The story is about humanity’s fight to […]
NYU Shanghai and the Future of International Higher Education in China
Memo #261 By Joel Heng Hartse – joelhartse [at] gmail.com New York University Shanghai recently completed its first semester of operations. Though NYU Shanghai was recently touted by National Public Radio as the first Sino-U.S. joint university, there are in fact hundreds of approved joint-degree programs and more than thirty jointly run Sino-foreign universities operating in China—and the […]
‘Normalizing’ same-sex marriage in the US and gay rights in Japan
At first glance, the 2012 Presidential election in the United States may seem to have nothing to do with gay rights in Japan. But President Obama’s reelection may have a significant impact on the future of same-sex marriage in the States, which is likely to create ripple effects in Japan.
At G20: China a Balancer Between US and EU
Memo #116 – The G20 Summit in Cannes, from November 3 to 4, 2011, is possibly the last chance to prevent the beginning of a serious global financial meltdown. It’s a critical moment of confrontation between different blueprints on the future of global economic governance.
U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan a Sore Point in U.S.-China Relations
Memo #105 – The Obama administration’s decision to sell arms to Taiwan clouds bilateral relations with China. The timing is not ideal. Global economic recovery is volatile and tensions are increasing in the South China Sea. Next year, there will be a leadership transition in China and the U.S. will hold its presidential election.
Analyzing a Potential President Obama Visit to Hiroshima or Nagasaki
Memo #42 – A potential visit by President Obama to Hiroshima or Nagasaki to acknowledge victims of the nuclear attacks would help U.S.-Japan relations. But it may also alienate Asian countries that suffered wartime atrocities by Japan.
Clinton Signals a Major Change of Course in the South China Sea
Memo #7 – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent announcement that the long-standing sovereignty and jurisdictional disputes in the South China Sea affects the national interests of the United States will have angered some, worried others, and delighted many. It seems to signal an end to the position held by the United States that issues concerning the Spratly and Paracel Islands, and the ocean space around them, were matters for the contending states alone. Furthermore, it marks another step in the internationalization of these issues.