Japanese policymakers expressed diplomatic interest in the Arctic – a region rapidly being transformed by climate change –as early as 2009, when the country officially submitted an application to become a Permanent Observer in the Arctic Council. Japan’s bid (supported by, surprise, Russia), was approved in May 2013, along with China and South Korea’s. This instance of Russo-Japanese cooperation, particularly ...

Five years ago, a magnitude nine earthquake off the east coast of Japan triggered a tsunami that killed almost 20,000 people and led to meltdowns and release of radioactive material at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The disaster inflicted nearly half a trillion dollars in economic losses and caused the shutdown of more than 50 nuclear reactors, depriving Japan ...

Bloomberg Qatar Airways said it could soon give up on Airbus Group SE’s revamped A320neo jetliner if Pratt & Whitney fails to resolve a cooling issue with the plane’s engines, erasing a 2011 order worth a potential $6.4 billion to the manufacturer. Delivery delays requested by Qatar Air because of the hitch, which means planes must sometimes be idled to ...