Andrew Stevens is an adviser for a Japanese research centre based in London and also political editor of www.CityMayors.com. He writes in a personal capacity.

Recent articles

The result of Japan's upper-house election is more curious than the comprehensive defeat of prime minister Shinzo Abe suggests, says Andrew Stevens.

The political projects of the two new boys in the G8 gang – Shinzo Abe and Nicolas Sarkozy – offer the intriguing possibility of a special relationship, says Andrew Stevens.

A political era is ending in Japan, but for the ruling party’s new leader Shinzo Abe there will be no return to a quiet life after Junichiro Koizumi’s rollercoaster years, says Andrew Stevens.

Japan’s decisive election result has presented Junichiro Koizumi and his allies with the opportunity to make his reform rhetoric real, says Andrew Stevens.

An argument over post office reform has led to an early general election in Japan. But the issues at stake in September’s poll – nationalism, the constitution, the LDP-dominated political system itself – are far more momentous, says Andrew Stevens.