Carolyn Posner

Bio

I'm currently working in Nagano, Japan through the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program. As a Cultural Affairs Coordinator, planning cultural events, doing translation work, and attempting to master the art of Japanese office etiquette. I'm particularly interested in Japanese/US-Japan policy, as well as strategic issues in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. If you like to talk, argue, or rant about Japan-related issues, feel free to challenge me to a debate!
War With North Korea: Saber Rattling Puts South Korea on Edge
By Anita Ragunathan, Jieun Baek, Siv Cheruvu, Carolyn Posner, Andrea Ayres-Deets, Keeran Murphy and Georgi Ivanov
North Korea remains an opaque country shrouded in speculation and rumor and its recent saber rattling has the international community on edge. There have been a slew of incidents over the past couple months. In February, North Korea detonated a…
North Korea Rocket Launch May Have Alienated the Only Friend They Have
By Carolyn Posner
After conducting a widely condemned rocket launch last December, North Korea responded to a United Nations resolution condemning its behavior in typical fashion: bombastic threats of military force against the United States and South Korea. While…
Japan Election Results: Why This Election Is Actually Illegal
By Carolyn Posner
After the endless attack ads, stump speeches, and political posturing surrounding the U.S. presidential election this fall, many Americans no doubt wished for a shorter campaign period. In comparison, the two weeks of campaigning leading up to…
US China Relations: These Are the Steps Obama Must Take for a Successful Asia Pivot
By Carolyn Posner
Looking ahead to President Barack Obama’s second term, foreign policy “success” in Asia will require continued strong relations with regional allies and constructive engagement with China in areas of mutual interest. Plus a few fingers crossed, and…
How to Absentee Vote from Overseas
By Carolyn Posner
This year, I was one of those lucky voters who got to slog through the unwieldy process of absentee voting. In fact, I’ve never voted in person — I was out of state for college in 2008, and cast my 2012 ballot from abroad. I was excited to vote this…
Obama vs Romney: Why Candidates Election Rhetoric Could Undermine US China Relations
By Carolyn Posner
After a U.S. strategic shift towards Asia under President Obama, bilateral relations with our East Asian partners are stronger than ever. Still, this hasn’t stopped both Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney and Obama from ratcheting up the…
Ahmadinejad UN Speech: Protests Against the Iranian President Are Kind of Meaningless
By Carolyn Posner
On Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s United Nations General Assembly speech will be greeted by dozens of groups protesting the legitimacy of his position at the UN. In fact, demonstrations have already begun, with protesters staking…
Senkaku Islands Dispute: China Throws a Tantrum Over Japanese Plans to Buy Disputed Islands
By Carolyn Posner
In East Asia, international tensions are created and sustained as much by hundred-year-old history as recent diplomatic incidents. Disputes over the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, known as Daioyu in China and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan, are no exception,…
Led By Tokyo University, Japanese Universities Consider Academic Calendar Shift
By Carolyn Posner
A preliminary report from Japan’s top-ranked Tokyo University (Todai) made waves last week with a recommendation that the school shift the timing of the academic year. Thirty-six other national universities have also expressed some interest in the…
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Fights for Political Legitimacy
By Carolyn Posner
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda seems to be having some trouble hanging onto administration-appointed government officials. Just over a week into Noda’s term, Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Yoshio Hachiro resigned after a series…
U.S. Can't Afford to Abandon East Asian Allies
By Carolyn Posner
Given the current budget-cutting fever in Washington, it’s not surprising to see calls for a decrease in American military spending in East Asia. The argument for a policy shift – elucidated by Cato scholar Justin Logan in a recent Foreign…
New Japan PM Yoshihiko Noda Faces Major Policy Problems
By Carolyn Posner
With Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s approval rating dropping 10 points to 55% in a recent Yomiuri Shimbun poll, many experts have concluded that Noda’s honeymoon period in office is over. In the coming months, Noda will have to take…
Japan's Alliances Torn Between U.S. and China
By Carolyn Posner
It would be no surprise if President Barack Obama has gotten a little tired of meeting new Japanese prime ministers; after all, prime minister Yoshihiko Noda arrived in the United States last week as the third Japanese prime minister elected since…