In a sense, the surprise question in such a situation, and perhaps into the future, is whether France has stolen a march over the United States, perhaps in terms of public diplomacy, in trying to pull Japan out of its civil nuclear emergency.

The importance of people-to-people relations in disaster diplomacy shouldn’t be underestimated -- beneath the prickly problems of diplomacy and defence in the Sino-Japan relationship lay deep layers of people-to-people relationships.

President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday said he wanted Taiwan to make “full use” of its soft power and to become a provider of humanitarian assistance, which is one element of soft power.

As we mourn all the deaths and suffering from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, and especially think of our numerous IMD alumni and friends who may have been affected, we also see that the tragedy provides an opportunity — even a responsibility — to draw broad lessons and look forward.

Asia's extraterrestrial ambitions have rocketed from nowhere in the 50 years since the first human space flight, with China shooting for the moon while India and Japan fuel up their own programmes.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program has been around since 1987. This program, the largest component of which places native English speakers in Japan’s junior and senior high schools for year-long tours of duty as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), has thousands of alumni from around the world – more than 20,000 from the United States alone.

A major task facing government officials dealing with the Great East Japan Earthquake was how to transmit reports about the unprecedented damage to a worldwide audience. To seek out needed assistance and to restrain excessive rumors and false speculation required the relaying of timely and accurate information.

Fort Bragg residents have raised more than $63,500 for residents of tsunami-ravaged Otsuchi, their sister city in northeastern Japan...Members of the Fort Bragg Otsuchi Cultural Exchange Association began fundraising efforts in the days following the devastation, appealing to residents in the city of about 8,000.