In the last month of President Barack Obama’s two terms, he is focused on the same foreign country when he began his presidency: Japan. [...] Eight years later, Tuesday, President Obama and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stood together at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, to honor the sacrifices of Americans killed during the Japanese attack on U.S. warships 75 years ago. 

Once again East Asian countries have dominated the global education tables. In recent weeks, both the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) published their rankings of education systems worldwide based on students’ skills and knowledge. 

Six young translators of Japanese literature from inside and outside the country were invited to participate in a workshop on translation techniques and practical knowledge related to the publishing process. [...] A Japan Foundation program has also subsidized the translation of books in the fields of humanities, social sciences and art. This fiscal year, 33 books have been chosen for the program, for which a budget of ¥19 million has been earmarked.

Mr Teruyuki Watanabe was seeking a new challenge after retiring from a transport company when he chanced upon an opportunity to be a cultural ambassador of sorts. The 62-year-old has been helping to promote Japanese culture and language abroad in his own way, as part of an outreach by Japan to Asean launched in 2013.

Under the threat of violating international law and hurting its global reputation, Japan will submit its long overdue annual contribution to UNESCO by the year-end, according to government sources. The government's decision also reflects concerns that its continued refusal to pay could allow China to hold more sway in UNESCO, while eroding Japan’s standing in the organization.

In the future, China, Japan and South Korea should make efforts to improve their relations. First, the three countries should take positive steps to increase regional cooperation and establish mechanisms such as the Free Trade Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. This is beneficial to the future development of the three countries

As the Trump administration assumes leadership of American foreign policy, questions prevail about how it perceives the United States’ role in the world and how it will exercise that role.  The appearance of a potentially unconventional U.S. president amidst a world in flux highlights the enormous uncertainties and the potential risks to U.S. stability and prosperity that are now confronting us.

The Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai hosted a reception on December 1 to celebrate the 83rd birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Akihito. Held at Okura Garden Hotel in downtown Shanghai, hundreds of guests, including officials from local governments, such as the city of Shanghai and Jiangsu Province,  business people, academia, artists and the representatives of the Japanese community attended the ceremony and reception.