links for 2007-05-18

• Japanese Embarrassed by China & Korea in 1885 » Occidentalism
  Sparkling Korea has posted a translation of an 1885 Japanese editorial entitled, “Datsu-A Ron” (Argument for Leaving Asia), which was printed in the Japanese newspaper 時事新報. Here is an interesting excerpt:
• U.S. calls on Japan to shield it from missiles | The Japan Times Online
  U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has urged Japan to declare the right to collective defense so its missile defense shield can be used to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles targeted at the United States, according to Japanese and U.S. diplomatic
• Observing Japan: Gaiatsu revisited
• People’s Daily Online — Beijing Party Secretary vows to make 2008 Olympic Games a resounding success
  The pledge was made by Liu Qi, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee, when delivering a work report to the opening ceremony of the 10th municipal congress of the CPC on Thursday morning.
• debito.org » Blog Archive » Asahi: Kurashiki hotel refuses foreigners
• African bank meet wraps up with China rebuke over Sudan – Yahoo! News
  African central bankers and finance ministry officials prepared to wrap up two days of talks here Thursday as a Sudan representative criticised China’s role in the strife-torn nation.
• UN aide credits China with pressing Sudan to accept peacekeeping force – International Herald Tribune
  Eliasson, speaking late Thursday, said it was Chinese pressure that had helped persuade Sudanese officials to lift their opposition to the deployment of 3,000 UN peacekeepers in Darfur.
• China begins expanding its supertanker fleet – International Herald Tribune
  China has begun an ambitious effort to build a fleet of more than 90 supertankers to improve its control over oil imports
• People’s Daily Online — Yale president: Chinese universities need cutting-edge faculty
  Via CDT
• Cigarette consumption by country, Japan No. 7
• U.S. trade protectionist talk “irresponsible”: China’s Wu – Yahoo! News
  Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi on Thursday criticized calls in the United States for trade protectionist measures, calling such moves “irresponsible acts” that can only harm both countries’ interests.
• Freakonomics Blog » Adoptive Parents May Also Face the Decision to “Abort”
  On a New Jersey couple Levitt saw choosing between orphans to adopt in China.
• Observing Japan: Idealism, realism, and US China policy
  Weighing in on the Lampton-Mann debate on FP
• Prime Minister Abe’s Visit to the United States
  The summit should be seen as a solid first step. In the coming year, Prime Minister Abe will be probably be asking the Bush Administration to join his government in the crafting of a detailed and inspiring vision of America’s and Japan’s common future.
• Japan’s film rating body rejects the title “The Assassination of Bush” » Japan Probe
• People’s Daily Online — China-U.S. trade offers mutual benefit, win-win progress: vice premier
  Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi has said. “Mutual benefit and win-win progress: These are what China-U.S. business and trade relations are all about, and these intrinsic qualities have made our trade ties strong and vibrant,
• The Economist: Stop worrying and hug the panda | FP Passport