For Tomoyuki Tachikawa's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Tokyo faces a dilemma on how to get along with its powerful but crucial neighbor as fears grow of a "new Cold War" between Beijing and the United States.
At its National People's Congress, Beijing pledged to make China the world's biggest economy by 2035, in a move that hints at the president's continued ambition.
Strict quarantine measures for anyone traveling outside China make home visits incompatible with work demands, while the well-being of family in Japan remains a concern.
Fears are mounting that Japan will fall further behind the world's second-largest economy — perhaps the only major country to have achieved growth in 2020.
Japanese firms have complained about China's environmental policies, saying they are too strict to obey.
The planned zone would include Macau and a clutch of mainland cities as well as the territory.
Kim Jong Un could extend an olive branch to Japan to receive aid to rebuild North Korea's stagnant economy.
Beijing has voiced a willingness to maintain relatively amicable ties with Tokyo, at a time when its relationship with Washington has grown increasingly acrimonious.
Large-scale sales of U.S. dollar-denominated assets would also trigger depreciation of the dollar against the yen, hitting Japanese exports.
Detention of popular protest leader throws rights issues into the spotlight, threatening to further exacerbate tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.
