Commentary / Japan Jan 10, 2021
The West should envy Japan’s COVID-19 response
The virus is not unprecedented, but the draconian societal shutdowns are. Who would have expected Western democracies to mimic authoritarian China?
Ramesh Thakur
Ramesh Thakur is Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; adjunct professor, Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law, Griffith University, and editor-in-chief of Global Governance from Jan. 1, 2013. He began writing for The Japan Times in 1998 as Vice Rector of the United Nations University.
For Ramesh Thakur's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Commentary / Japan Dec 9, 2020
Australia and Japan edge toward an alliance
On Nov. 17, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison became the first foreign leader to visit Japan since Yoshihide Suga assumed the prime ministership.
Commentary / Japan Oct 30, 2020
Mobilizing the world behind the nuclear weapons ban treaty
Setsuko Thurlow is an atomic bombing survivor who lives in Canada. She has been a highly visible public face of the hibakusha around the world, campaigning tirelessly for nuclear abolition and was included in the small delegation from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear ...
Commentary / World Sep 30, 2020
China balks at U.S. efforts for nuclear arms talks
Beijing perceives U.S. policy as being increasingly aggressive and aimed at containing China. Nuclear forces are seen as the ultimate guarantor of national security.
Commentary / World Sep 4, 2020
The Security Council will perish without reform
In the 75 years since the U.N. charter was signed, the world has changed.
Commentary / World Aug 9, 2020
Is 'coronaphobia' more deadly than the coronavirus?
The mission creep from flattening the curve to eradicating COVID-19 has been ill-conceived and calamitous.
Commentary / World Jul 5, 2020
Nuclear-armed China and India fight with fists, stones and clubs
June 15 could mark the date on which China “lost India” strategically.
Commentary / World May 29, 2020
Six deadly lockdown sins
The lockdowns across the world will likely kill more people than they saved.
Commentary / World May 3, 2020
Scapegoating the WHO as the CHO
Now is not the time to demonize and defund the WHO.
Commentary / World Apr 5, 2020
Pandemics and the G20: One last shot at relevance
The Group of 20 has the right mix of member states to handle a global crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. The only question is whether it will take up the task.