Skip to content
Politics & Current Affairs —

Bon Envoyage

The Washington Post sets out the changing face of the US-Japan relationship ahead of Obama’s visit to Tokyo this week amid some complex politics.
Sign up for Big Think on Substack
The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

“The historic political transition underway in Tokyo is rattling Washington and has produced a puzzling rigidity in an administration known for its capacity for reaching out to the world. President Obama’s visit to Asia offers a much-needed opportunity to calm and energize the U.S.-Japan relationship,” writes The Washington Post. It says Obama should “aim at restoring faith in Washington’s ability to adjust to Japan’s new politics. Old habits of lecturing Tokyo on its responsibilities must end.” While Japan’s prime minister Yukio Hatoyama should tackle future issues as opposed to yesterday’s politics. “Transition jitters and the legacies of predecessors must be set aside. This visit is the moment for two heads of state to make good on their claims that this relationship is a priority. They should get to work designing an effective and forward-looking partnership.”

Sign up for Big Think on Substack
The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.
Related
A bearded man wearing glasses and a plaid shirt speaks with a microphone clipped to his collar in front of a purple background with white dots.
The Well
How Rainn Wilson discovered sacredness
The hospital where Rainn Wilson’s wife and son nearly died became his own personal holy site. There, he discovered that the sacred can exist in places we least expect it. During his talk at A Night of Awe and Wonder, he explained how the awe we feel in moments of courage and love is moral beauty — and following it might be the start of our spiritual revolution.
▸
13 min
—
with
Rainn Wilson
Up Next