Japan’s recent foreign policies have put a strain on the potential US-Japan-South Korea trilateral relationship. If right wing Japanese nationalists remain in power and continue the exploitation of the US-Japan relationship, the US may need to adjust its policy.

Disputes over territorial sovereignty are among the thorniest of all diplomatic disagreements. While the sovereignty disputes in the South and East China Seas involve seemingly non-negotiable claims, the resources surrounding the islands can nevertheless be shared, nurturing habits of closer regional cooperation in the process.

From nationalizing disputed territory to visiting controversial war shrines and justifying the egregious treatment of women in wartime, aggressive actions and over-the-top statements by Japanese politicians will only exacerbate future problems between China and Japan.

While both China’s Xi Jinping and Japan’s Shinzo Abe hope to forge closer ties with the United States, Sheila Smith notes the two leaders are showing some signs of diplomatic overtures.

Despite Shintaro Ishihara’s clamors for war between Japan and China, Feng Zhaokui writes that the existence of disputes should be the very reason for enhanced people-to-people and even official exchanges to smooth over the Sino-Japanese relationship.

Maritime disputes constitute the single likeliest source of instability and military conflict with China, says Swaine. He explains the primary drivers of tension in the East and South China Seas and identifies steps Washington can take to reduce the risk of hostilities.

Fire-control radar row is Tokyo's attempt to get more overt outside support and push for constitutional change.

As China’s new leadership appears to be be making efforts to dial down tensions with Japan over the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku islands, could a war between China and Japan be inadvertently sparked by a maritime accident?

Despite high tensions and risks between China and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, finding the way out may lead to constructing a new U.S.-China-Japan geopolitical order with better prospects for maintaining regional peace and security.

While tensions on the Korean Peninsula have gained widespread attention, Ted Galen Carpenter posits that the greater threat to stability comes from territorial disputes between Japan, China and Taiwan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.