In his article titled “Japan need not save a place for the Global South at the G-7 summit,” published in Nikkei Asia on May 2, 2023, Robert Dujarric argues that Japan should not feel compelled to represent or advocate for the Global South during the G-7 summit. with an idea.

In this article, Robert Dujarric unpacks why the popularized phrase “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” may be little more than rhetorical posturing. He highlights contradictions in the policies of key players and questions the coherence of their stated goals. With clarity and precision, the piece offers a reality check on regional alignment fantasies.

This article offers a tentative evaluation of Shinzo Abe’s foreign policy legacy, noting how media narratives often praised his strengths while ignoring serious flaws. It reminds readers that time and historical distance are needed for a more accurate accounting of any leader’s impact. With Japan’s hereditary politics in focus, the piece examines Abe’s controversial rise and unresolved legacy.

Robert Dujarric argues that while China’s rapid growth and Belt and Road expansion once positioned it as a rising global leader, mounting debt, slowing domestic demand, and partner pushback now threaten its strategic ambitions.

In his 2017 article for The Diplomat, Robert Dujarric examines how President Donald Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy could inadvertently encourage closer cooperation between China and Japan. 

Robert Dujarric explores the factors behind Japan’s parochialism and its impact on the nation’s global engagement.

Robert Dujarric explores the contradiction between Japan’s pacifist self-image and its provocative political symbolism in this 2014 article for The Diplomat.

What explains the LDP’s warmth toward a party that shares little of its political DNA? In this 2014 piece for The Japan Times, Robert Dujarric examines the curious alignment between Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and America’s GOP.

Popular geopolitical commentary loves historical analogy—but not all comparisons are created equal.

Japan’s government has publicly and frequently apologized for the evils of the Showa Era. Unfortunately, frequent statements…minimizing the extent of war crimes seriously undermined the credibility of its apologies.

Without a more globally adept workforce, Japan risks falling behind — yet the path to ‘globalize’ its insular labor pool will not come cheap or easy.

The deepening Sino-Japanese rift is effectively an open challenge to America’s position in Asia, forcing Washington to reconcile its treaty commitments with avoiding conflict.

Co-authors Dujarric and Shin Woon observe signs that Japan is becoming more inward-focused economically (fewer Japanese studying abroad, low foreign direct investment, closed job market). They warn that this “virtual Berlin Wall” around Japan is isolating it just as the rest of Asia globalizes, risking future stagnation.

Robert Dujarric argues that the ongoing dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands has escalated beyond Prime Minister Abe’s bilateral influence, driven instead by domestic political pressures in China and the nationalist sentiment in Japan. He contends that neither side’s leadership can unilaterally resolve the standoff without risking domestic backlash.

In this piece, Dujarric critiques the perception within some Chinese policymaking circles that international relations are strictly zero-sum, where one country’s gain is another’s loss.

Andy Zelleke and Robert Dujarric contend that despite the 2008 financial crisis and looming recession, U.S. global leadership remains intact.

Obama’s presidency will likely prod Japan to take on greater responsibilities – from security contributions to energy policy – marking a shift from the more indulgent approach of previous U.S. administrations.