In his 2015 article for The Japan Times, Robert Dujarric critiques the Abe administration’s use of public funds to target the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. 

Robert Dujarric discusses Japan’s need to bolster its defense and regional alliances in response to the U.S.’s potential strategic withdrawal from Asia.

Dujarric analyzes U.S. strategic posture in Northeast Asia, arguing that American credibility underpins regional deterrence.

Robert Dujarric challenges narratives of Western decline, arguing that democratic institutions, innovation ecosystems, and resilient economies across North America and Europe continue to adapt and thrive amid global shifts.

In his 2014 article for The Diplomat, Robert Dujarric critiques Japan’s reliance on the United States for security, urging Tokyo to assume greater responsibility for its own defense. 

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.

Abe Shinzo’s agenda leans heavily into nostalgic nationalism, but does little to prepare Japan for looming challenges ahead.

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.

Japan’s handling of the ‘history issue’ is relevant to American interests in Asia… Anti-Japanese feelings, inflamed every time a politician denies the comfort women, make it harder for the U.S. to manage its alliances.

Abe’s strong alliance stance makes him a valuable U.S. partner, but his nationalist agenda sometimes complicates Washington’s diplomacy in Asia.

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.

Japan essentially has three choices in handling the Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute: escalate, acquiesce, or manage the status quo – each with distinct risks.

A virtual ‘Berlin Wall’ surrounds Japan, growing ever-more solid as the world moves in the opposite direction.

Dujarric examines China’s shift toward more welcoming FDI policies in 2011, highlighting regulatory reforms, establishment of free-trade zones, and incentives for high-tech and services sectors.

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.