As pandemics reach a climax, a number of phenomena are taking place that will determine the future course of the world. From a geopolitical point of view, the most important of these is the further escalation of tensions between the United States and China.
By Yutaka Iimura,Senior Fellow at GRIPS Alliance,Visiting Professor at National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies,Former Ambassador of Japan to Indonesia and to France
In August 2025, Japan reached a historic milestone in inbound tourism. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), an estimated 3,428,000 overseas visitors came to Japan that month—up 16.9% year-on-year.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine shook the liberal international order of the 20th century as well as the confidence-building process in Europe since the end of the Cold War.