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Ra Mason

Lecturer in International Relations and Japanese Foreign Policy, University of East Anglia

I have spent the past 20 years working, researching and writing in the field of Japanese studies. This includes time spent as a Coordinator for International Relations and researcher in Okinawa, as a translator in Tokyo and, most recently, as Associate Professor of Public Policy at Tohoku University.

Shinzo Abe's latest cabinet reshuffle could transform Japan

Sep 28, 2019 14:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

With just two years until he will likely step down, the time left to Shinzo Abe, Japans very soon-to-be longest serving postwar prime minister, is limited. But if his latest cabinet reshuffle is anything to go by, it seems...

Global Geopolitics Series

Profile: Japan's controversial, shrewd and ambitious Shinzo Abe

Oct 08, 2017 10:33 am UTC| Insights & Views

As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe campaigns in a snap election, he looks set to enter into an unprecedented third term in office, and become Japans longest serving postwar prime minister. So who is he? What is the...

North Korea knows it can't afford to go to war

Aug 12, 2017 14:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The current flare-up over North Koreas missile tests and Donald Trumps belligerent response is frightening for many, but anyone worried that Pyongyang wants to start a war is fortunately mistaken. For all its fighting...

Global Geopolitics Series

Japan and South Korea's latest row could have deeper consequences

Jan 18, 2017 16:17 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Japan and South Korea have reopened an old spat over wartime sexual slavery, or so-called Comfort Women. The latest flare-up began when a bronze statue of a girl representing former comfort women was installed in front of...

Global Geopolitics Series

Japan's change in military outlook marks the end of a 'Peace State'

Dec 26, 2016 01:00 am UTC| Insights & Views

Thanks to the constitution imposed on its citizens by the US after the end of World War II, Japan has long been thought of by pacifists as a Peace State. Article 9 of the constitution states that: The Japanese people...

Economy

White House Weighs Refined Copper Tariffs as Cost Concerns Grow

The White House has yet to decide whether to impose tariffs on refined copper as the Trump administration weighs boosting U.S. production against the risk of higher manufacturing costs. Affordability has become a growing...

Asian Currencies Subdued as Yen Weakens Ahead of Fed, BOJ Decisions

Asian currencies traded cautiously on Friday, with the Japanese yen extending losses as the U.S. dollar hovered near a one-week high ahead of U.S. inflation data and major central bank meetings. The U.S. Dollar Index held...

Japan Producer Inflation Eases to 7.6% in August

Japans producer inflation eased slightly in August but remained near its highest level in more than three and a half years, keeping pressure on businesses as elevated energy costs and a weak yen continue to drive up...

Oil Prices Surge as Middle East Shipping Attacks Threaten Supply

Oil prices climbed further on Friday, with Brent crude trading near four-month highs as escalating attacks on Middle East shipping routes raised fears of prolonged global supply disruptions. Brent oil futures gained nearly...

Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge Fuels Rate Hike Fears

Asian stocks fell sharply on Friday as surging oil prices, rising bond yields and renewed expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike drove investors away from riskier assets. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 1.3%,...

Politics

Taiwan Flags Russian Film Screening as China-Japan Influence Push

Taiwanese authorities are scrutinizing a rare Russian-hosted film screening in Taipei amid concerns that Moscow is helping China promote an anti-Japan narrative and influence public opinion on the island. Around 20...

Trump Rejects Saudi Request for Houthi Strikes

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged U.S. President Donald Trump to launch military strikes against Yemens Houthis as tensions in the region intensify, Axios reported Thursday, citing two U.S. officials. According...

South Korea Says $350 Billion US Investment Talks Progressing

South Korean Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Friday that negotiations over Seouls $350 billion investment commitment to the United States are making solid progress, with the first planned project expected to establish a...

Trump Says He Has No Regrets Over Iran War

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has no regrets about going to war with Iran, despite concerns that the conflict and rising energy prices could hurt Republicans in the November midterm elections. Speaking with Fox News...

Kim Jong Un Praises North Korean Troops Fighting Overseas

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised soldiers taking part in overseas military operations during celebrations marking the 78th anniversary of North Koreas founding, according to state media KCNA. Speaking at an assembly...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Enflame Shares Surge 200% in Shanghai AI Chip Debut

Shanghai Enflame Technology shares soared roughly 200% during their Shanghai market debut on Friday, highlighting strong investor demand for Chinese AI chipmakers as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce dependence on...

OpenAI Weighs AI Development Slowdown Over Safety Risks

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is considering slowing the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence systems as safety concerns surrounding increasingly powerful AI models grow, Bloomberg News reported Friday. Altman...

Samsung, Qualcomm 2nm Chip Deal Delayed Over Pricing

Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm have reportedly delayed a potential semiconductor manufacturing agreement as disagreements over pricing complicate negotiations for Samsungs advanced 2-nanometer foundry process. According...

Huawei, Chinese AI Chipmakers Raise Prices as HBM Shortage Bites

Chinese AI chipmakers, including Huawei Technologies and Cambricon Technologies, are raising processor prices as a global shortage of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) increases production costs and complicates Chinas push to...

OpenAI Agents Used Websites for Unauthorized Communications

OpenAI AI agents used more than 10 previously undisclosed websites to communicate without authorization earlier this year, according to independent researchers and data reviewed by Reuters, raising fresh concerns about the...