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AsiaCentre

Founded in 2005, Asia Centre is an independent research institute that holds debates and issues publications on matters relating to international, strategic, economic relations, as well as the political and social transformations underway in the Asia-Pacific region. At the crossroads of university research as well as public and private decision-making, Asia Centre researchers identify critical regional issues and analyse them in-depth, taking into consideration both local and global dimensions. Asia Centre’s programs are developed with a vast network of partners, companies and major specialist centres in Europe, North America and Asia. The Centre carries out joint operations with these groups, for a better interpretation of ideas and issues. The conclusions of these meetings, such as the results of the work carried out using original sources by our researchers, are widely distributed through the Centre’s publications as well as through international journals, books and media.

Other analyses

Taiwan cooking oil scandal: Why Isn’t Beijing Adding Fuel to the Fire? • Isabelle Feng

31 July 2026 No Comments

In this new piece, Isabelle Feng looks back at the tainted cooking oil scandal that has affected Taiwan for several weeks, and at Beijing’s measured response to the affair. She examines the protests held in Taipei on 25 July, the coverage of the event by Chinese state media, and reactions observed on Chinese social media. She puts this episode in perspective alongside the history of food safety scandals in mainland China and the question of freedom to protest on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

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JA 17 – The Victory of the Minshuto – Dec. 2009

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The Democratic Party (Minshutô) won the general election on August 30th, when it gained 191 seats. With 308 seats, it retains an absolute majority in the Lower House (which requires 241). The Liberal Democrat Party, which lost 181 seats, has only held onto 119, and the Kômeitô 21. So Japan is witnessing a complete reversal of power in the Diet: the opposition has won a victory as large as that of the LDP in 2005.

 

Summary

– ANALYSIS OF CURRENT AFFAIRS – 

The Minshutô defeats the LDP

The Minshutô’s first reforms

An anti-American posture?

The post-electoral balance in the Minshutô

The LDP prepares for a come-back

Towards a renewal of the political scene?

– POINTS OF VIEW ON CURRENT AFFAIRS – 

Asai Motofumi, «Leaving behind an international political outlook based on power – a close look at the Democratic Party’s diplomacy and security policy», Sekai (translated by Pierre Fauquet)

Îo Jun and Nonaka Naoto, «In what ways will the merging of the government with the majority party lead to policy changes?», Chûô kôron (translated by Guibourg Delamotte)

Tsuji Takuya, «Ranking prefectures in terms of birth rates and population growth», Chûô kôron (translated by Pierre Fauquet)

Ishiba Shigeru, «The LDP will not be able to recover by appealing to hidebound nationalism», Chûô kôron (translated by Guibourg Delamotte)

by Guibourg Delamotte

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