As the year draws to an end, 2018 was not a year of living dangerously, as most of us mere mortals want more than ever to live a quiet life. The year has also not been easy for any leader, as Theresa May knows all too well.Since the great recession of 2008, competition has been a race to the bottom in almost every sphere, but more so in politics. As competition guru professor Michael Porter wrote last year, “competition in the politics industry is failing America” (Harvard Business School, 2017)

When I first read Takano Kazuaki’s thriller “Gravedigger,” I was enthralled by the breathtaking speed of this mesmerizing novel. It tells the story of a wrongfully accused man named Yagami who has to flee from police and a group of sinister men. As an organ donor, Yagami has to safely arrive at a hospital in south Tokyo as soon as possible in order to save a child who is suffering from leukemia. To accomplish this, he has to cross Tokyo from north to south at full speed against all odds. Recentl

A dispute settlement proceeding between two states usually conjures up the image of stern-faced judges in robes under tightly controlled timeframes, and most importantly, a legally binding judgment with a serious penalty. This is very important, and many disputes go down this path. In the meantime, a notable new trend is forming. Nonbinding dispute settlement procedures that seek an amicable solution are making inroads into new treaties and agreements. This is, so to speak, a state-to-state vers

In a recent column, I observed that by many measures, China is the world’s largest economy. This means a number of benefits will now flow to China that used to go to the US and Europe. Chief among these is agglomeration, or the tendency of businesses to seek out the biggest markets and the densest concentrations of economic activity. Being the center of the global economy really does have value.　But nothing is certain, especially in realms as complex as economics and politics. China’s vast size

President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to pull American troops from Syria is riskier than it looks. It ends a low-cost, high-impact mission and creates a vacuum that will be filled by one of a series of bad actors -- Iran, Russia, Turkey, Islamic extremists, the Syrian regime -- take your pick, they’re all dangerous for American interests in the Middle East. Trump’s withdrawal from northeast Syria will end a campaign that was never really seen or understood by the American people. It was a sma

I have selected the following 10 events as major issues in 2018:1. Growing populism and nationalism 2. Denuclearization of North Korea3. Tribalism in Africa and racism in Western Europe4. Worsening global warming and pollution5. Continuing Muslim sectarian conflicts in the Middle East6. Rapid globalization and technological change in the world7. Massive migration of people from developing countries to developed countries8. A cold war between the US and China (Cold War II)9. Global strengthening

As the year’s end draws near, people tend to be more contemplative, looking back on and appraising what happened in 2018, the second year of President Moon Jae-in’s leftist rule. In my own journalistic perception, there was a rapid buildup of disappointment with the president and his staff during the year mainly in reaction to the two major directions of policy thrusts, one designed to improve workers’ lives and the other to settle wrongdoings by past powers. Key economic measures misfired, and