This week, we feature two reports published under our Asia-Pacific Strategic Risks project and a special report published as part of our Voices from Pacific Islands Countries project.

Together with the European Leadership Network, the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network ran a series of workshops and conferences on the perception of strategic risks among three Asia-Pacific states. Lee Sang Hyun provided a South Korean perspective, Nobumasa Akiyama shared Japan’s point of view, while Michael Cohen wrote on the view from Australia.

In addition, Milla Vaha wrote on the consequences of atomic testing in the Pacific region and its relationship to climate change threats, making a strong argument in favor of compensation by the international community. And Lim Eunjung argues that it’s time for Japan and South Korea to put their differences aside and strengthen their ties in her latest column for The Korea Times.

We also published several translations of reports from our China-US-Asia Dialogue project. And we highlight members’ activities below.

Dr Lee Sang Hyun, President and Senior Research Fellow at the Sejong Institute, explains how South Korea’s perceptions of strategic risks inform its attitude towards nuclear weapons and the nuclear non-proliferation regime. In this report, Dr Lee provides the South Korean perspective on Asia-Pacific security risks and strategic concerns.

Prof Nobumasa Akiyama, Senior Associate Fellow at APLN and Professor at the School of International and Public Policy at Hitotsubashi University, explains how Japan’s security concerns, priorities, and perceptions of strategic risk affect its attitudes to nuclear weapons and the non-proliferation regime.

Dr Michael Cohen, Senior Lecturer at the National Security College, Australian National University, explains why Australia perceives China as driving many of the strategic threats and risks that Canberra faces and how this perception influences Australian attitudes towards nuclear weapons.

Dr Milla Vaha, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Affairs at the University of the South Pacific, maps out some consequences of atomic testing in the Pacific region and their relationship to climate change threats. She argues that by seeking global recognition for both nuclear and climatic existential threats, the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) make a strong case for the compensation owed to them by the international community – especially by the powers that intentionally chose these territories as their nuclear playground.

APLN member Dr Eunjung Lim, Associate Professor of the Division of International Studies at Kongju National University, says it’s time for Japan and South Korea to bury the hatchet and significantly improve their relations to meet the expectations of younger generations. She points to polling data that shows the youth of both countries hold strongly favorable views of the other and that they want to see Tokyo and Seoul build closer ties.

APLN is now accepting applications for Senior Research Adviser, Senior Policy Fellow, and Communications Officer. Applications can be forwarded to kimys@apln.network.