This report describes the transformation of Japanese security policy, legislation and force structure in recent years by which Japan has sought to become 'a normal country' as 'Heisei militarization'. As a consequence, Tanter argues, that status of 'normal', as with comparable countries like Britain and France, "involves the capacity and willingness to consider the use...

Richard Tanter and Arabella Imhoff from Nautilus Institute at RMIT University write that the Indonesian government proposal to build a large nuclear power station on the north coast of Central Java on the Muria Peninsula gave rise to considerable local opposition on the basis of concerns about unacknowledged seismic and volcanic risk, a lack of...

Richard Tanter of the Nautilus institute writes that “by virtually every dimension, the war in Afghanistan is getting much worse for both the western coalition and for the Afghani civilian population.” “The strategic benefits are minimal to non-existent”, Tanter argues, “and the risks of a widening war alarming, and the moral and humanitarian consequences appalling”...

During an extraordinary Diet session beginning in September, the government will attempt to extend the MSDF mission by passing an extension of the Replenishment Support Special Measures Law through both houses. At a time when the existing MSDF deployment is under political strain, the government has sought to deepen the commitment to the war in...

Much media commentary has focussed on the political difficulties expected to be faced by the governments of Indonesia and Timor Leste as a result of the coming release of the final Commission of Truth and Friendship report, especially in the light of the complete failure of Indonesia to bring any important military figure to justice...