As Japan prepares for the G7 Summit, the topic on everyone’s mind is the Ukraine War. By providing aid to the Ukrainians, the Japanese have given us a glimpse into how far the country has come and how they strategically positioned themselves for the years to come.
To appreciate how significant this is, we must look back on the overwhelmingly nationalistic history of Japan. The geographic separation of the country has always necessitated a robust naval presence, which naturally lent itself to rapid technological advancement and the development of a superiority complex. Conquering China and Taiwan and the attack on Pearl Harbor are just a few examples of this in practice.
Fast forward to the 90s and a financial crisis struck Japan, amplified by urbanization-induced demographic decline. Those nationalistic tendencies began to fade, and by the late 2010s, a new Japan was born.
The Japanese now realized how important it was to develop a strong relationship with the United States. By signing a (rather humiliating) trade deal while Trump was in office, they signaled to everyone that they understood where the world was headed. As other countries began to back away from their trade deals once Biden entered office, the Japanese doubled down.
Ten years ago, we would likely have seen the Japanese remain neutral in conflicts similar to the Ukraine War. Today, Japan’s support for Ukraine is just one example of how vital it is to understand deglobalization and the increase in global conflict.
Here at Zeihan On Geopolitics we select a single charity to sponsor. We have two criteria:
First, we look across the world and use our skill sets to identify where the needs are most acute. Second, we look for an institution with preexisting networks for both materials gathering and aid distribution. That way we know every cent of our donation is not simply going directly to where help is needed most, but our donations serve as a force multiplier for a system already in existence. Then we give what we can.
Today, our chosen charity is a group called Medshare, which provides emergency medical services to communities in need, with a very heavy emphasis on locations facing acute crises. Medshare operates right in the thick of it. Until future notice, every cent we earn from every book we sell in every format through every retailer is going to Medshare’s Ukraine fund.
And then there’s you.
Our newsletters and videologues are not only free, they will always be free. We also will never share your contact information with anyone. All we ask is that if you find one of our releases in any way useful, that you make a donation to Medshare. Over one third of Ukraine’s pre-war population has either been forced from their homes, kidnapped and shipped to Russia, or is trying to survive in occupied lands. This is our way to help who we can. Please, join us.
