The term "Cool Japan" was a localized take on the UK's "Cool Britannia" idea of the 1990s. The idea of "Cool Japan" was centered on the country's position as a rising soft power superpower. Soft power is the culture influence countries have, while hard power is the influence from political, military, or economic power.

Alexis-Marchay Karklins, co-leader of the center of emerging markets at Ernst & Young, said that “recent trends have made the deployment and use of soft power crucial and it is not surprising that the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) dominate this index.

Turkey has brilliantly managed to attract and lure in the Arabs by capitalizing on its ‘Soft Power.’ It has influenced and won over the Arab psyche by producing very successful TV dramas that won over the viewers’ hearts and presenting them with a dreamy image of Turkey.

Other friends are planning their summer trips to London to attend the 2012 Olympics. The sports pages of the New York Times and Los Angeles Times are filled with stories about the training regimens and back stories of potential medal winners.

Washington, DC - On June 13, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton will welcome more than sixty young African leaders to the Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership, a three-week professional development program by the U.S. government in collaboration with the Meridian International Center to the Marshall Center at the Department of State.