International Affairs
9 items
A Nation That Underinvests in Education — Japan's Public Spending at 56% of the OECD Average and the Inequality It Perpetuates
Japan's public spending on tertiary education stands at just 56% of the OECD average, with households bearing over half the cost. As defense spending reaches roughly twice the education budget, this article examines why reframing education as social investment matters, drawing on OECD data and social investment theory.
Structural Analysis of Foreign Aid Budget Allocation: Does the ODA vs. Domestic Welfare Tradeoff Hold?
Starting from the recurring social media claim "spend it at home, not abroad," this article analyzes the scale gap between ODA and social security budgets, international comparisons across DAC countries, and the evolving structure of strategic ODA. The numbers show that eliminating ODA would barely dent social security funding — and the framing of the question itself needs reexamination.
Is Japan's Childcare Levy a 'Bachelor Tax'? — The Political Reason Social Insurance Was Chosen Over Tax
Japan's Childcare Support Levy started April 2026 — ¥575/month at ¥6M income, rising to ¥1,000 by FY2028. The "bachelor tax" label is imprecise, but it correctly identifies a structural break from insurance principles. Social insurance was chosen over a tax for one reason: it wouldn't be called a tax hike.
Closing Libraries, Digging Shelters — The Tradeoff Between Defense Expansion and Cultural Budget Cuts
Defense spending at ¥8.7 trillion, the Agency for Cultural Affairs at ¥106 billion. In FY2025, when defense outpaced education spending by 2.1x, Japan approved a national shelter construction plan. Shelter coverage stands at 370% in Taiwan, 107% in Switzerland, and just 5% in Japan. This article examines the structural asymmetry of protecting citizens from missiles while defunding protection against poverty, information gaps, and social isolation.
Is Foreign Crime Really Rising in Japan? — The 1.36x Adjusted Rate and the Invisible Sanction System
Arrests fell ~50% from the 2005 peak but have risen since 2015. Age-gender adjustment shrinks the crime rate gap from ~2x to ~1.36x. "Lenient sentencing" is a myth: non-prosecution followed by deportation is an invisible sanction route. Data and institutional design, not emotion, explain the picture.
Do You Know the 'Conditions' for Free University Tuition? — Income Limits, Multi-Child Requirements, and International Comparison
Japan introduced tuition-free university education for multi-child households in April 2025. But only 12.7% of all households qualify. With household education burden at 51% (2nd highest in OECD) and education spending at 3.9% of GDP, the gap between the label 'tuition-free' and reality reveals a structural problem in Japanese higher education.
The Structure Behind 38% Food Self-Sufficiency — Rethinking Food Security in an Age of Globalization
Calorie self-sufficiency at 38%, soybean import dependency at 92.4%, food waste of 4.64 million tons, and child poverty at 11.5%. Japan's food security paradox.
Should Military AI Be Permitted? — The Intersection of National Security and Technology Ethics
The military use of AI technology has created a head-on collision between security logic and technology ethics. Through a simulated debate among four fictional debaters, we illuminate the structural points of contention in this issue.
US-Israeli Attacks on Iran — Ripple Effects on Energy Security and Civil Society
From the 2025 Twelve-Day War to the February 2026 strikes. Examining Japan's energy security vulnerability with 96% Middle East oil dependency.