The article analyzes the situation developing in the main directions of Japan's foreign policy in the light of the reappearance of Donald Trump as President of the United States of America. Trump's return was met by Japanese political and business circles, as well as the expert community and the media, with great concern about the possible destructive impact of his political and economic course on the international situation at both global and regional Indo-Pacific levels, as well as on Japanese-American and other bilateral relations.
There is a growing discussion in Japanese political science circles about the idea that Japan, given the inevitable decline of America's role in the world in the era of Trump 2.0, should significantly increase its role in the international arena. The reappearance of Trump is becoming an incentive for Tokyo to build more equal relations within the framework of the Japanese-American military alliance and, at the same time, an incentive for Japan to gain greater independence in ensuring its own security.
It is obvious, however, that the United States will remain the main guarantor of Japanese security in the coming years, and Japan will remain the outpost of American military and political strategy in the Asia-Pacific region. The Japanese-American alliance will continue to strengthen with an eye to confrontation with China, which now, from Tokyo's point of view, poses the greatest security challenge for Japan.
The reformatting of the global geopolitical and geo-economic landscapes that is emerging under the influence of Trump's “America First” policy may tactically adjust Japan's actions in the international arena, including in bilateral relations with its main partners. However, it is unlikely that it will lead to a fundamental revision of Japanese foreign policy in the near future, including the strategy of the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” region, implemented by Japan jointly with the United States, focused primarily on the military, political, and economic containment of China. Multilateral mini-alliances, such as the Quad, the Japan-USA-South Korea triangle, and others, which are actively being built by the two countries, will remain important tools of this strategy.

Maritime trade is a key component of the economies of China and Japan, the two leading powers in East Asia. In the context of globalization and increasing international trade flows, the ports of these countries play a central role in ensuring efficient logistics and transportation of goods and act as a barometer of foreign trade. The importance of maritime trade for both countries is due to their geographical location, the development of port infrastructure, and the growing needs for international supplies. Sino-Japanese trade relations and interaction in the port and related areas are a complex and multifaceted process, and are also an important aspect of economic and geopolitical interaction in the Asia-Pacific region. On the one hand, the countries seek joint projects and technological innovations to improve the efficiency of ports and logistics. On the other hand, geopolitical factors and competition for influence create tensions in their relations. Despite the historical and political differences between Japan and China, complicated by the tense U.S.-China confrontation, the potential for improving trade ties, joint work in the field of maritime infrastructure development, logistics and port economy has not yet been lost or exhausted.
Based on the historical context, the article analyzes the current state and potential directions for the development of bilateral cooperation between China and Japan in the areas of mutual trade and modernization of seaport infrastructure as a tool for this cooperation. The study includes periodization of the relations of both countries in the field of maritime transport and foreign trade. Particular attention is paid to analyzing the maritime profiles of China and Japan, identifying key factors of economic and geopolitical competition between the two countries while taking into account the peculiarities of the economy, geography, and strategies for the development of port facilities of the two countries. The current indicators of bilateral trade are assessed, regional and global economic and strategic aspects of competition between the countries in the field of port infrastructure are studied, and the current political risks and opportunities caused by the complex geopolitical situation in the Asia-Pacific region are assessed.

Since ancient times, Japanese people have been striving to live in harmony with nature, and it is not surprising that the capital of Japan, the city of Tokyo, is considered to be the first ecological city in the world. It is no coincidence that, in the early 20 th century, the concept of Ebenezer Howard's “Garden City” was realized in the country. In particular, by the initiative of Shibusawa Eiichi, the “father of Japanese capitalism,” in the Den-en-chofu district of Tokyo, with its favorable economic and geo- graphical position, a residential suburb, that still retains a certain flair of exclusivity, was created. Faced with the harmful environmental consequences of rapid economic growth in the post-war period and the predominant development of material-and energy-intensive industries with the highest polluting effect, in the 1980s, Japan began to ecologize large industrial centers. And it was in these cities that the Ecotown project was launched first. Both Japanese and foreign scientists, including those from Russia, have studied different aspects of this project and individual ecotowns. The aim of this article is to investigate how the ideas of green urbanism, embedded in the Ecotown project, are evolving in Japan and how the evolution of ecotowns is expressed in inno- vative urban projects. By analyzing the main ideas of green urbanism, the author shows the embodiment of the ecotown concept in the nationwide low-carbon technology de- velopment programs adopted in recent decades, adapted to local applications, in the creation of various new cities that necessarily include a “green” aspect. Examples of implemented city projects are presented according to these programs and official web- sites of individual cities. Japanese society is aging rapidly, with over 29 % of the popu- lation being over 65 years of age, which has led to complex social problems related to social security, mobility, and the devaluation of local communities. In this regard, more and more innovative ideas and programs are emerging across the country to revi- talize communities and regions. The cities being created are, in essence, an evolution of the ecotown concept and a move towards countrywide low-carbon development while ensuring a high quality of life for all segments of population.

The reforms of the occupation period in Japan significantly changed the education system in the country. Meanwhile, the main principles and ideological foundation of the new educational policy were laid in 1946—1947, when the Basic Act on Education, the School Education Law, and amendments to the Constitution of Japan were created and promulgated. At the same time, there are still debates about whether these reforms were mainly imposed by the SCAP (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers), or whether Japanese politicians, academics, and educators had sufficient opportunities to promote their initiatives. This article is devoted to assessing the role of Japanese political actors involved in the education reforms of 1946—1947.
In the work, it was found that SCAP, having enormous opportunities and powers to influence the course of reforms, in practice used its power in education policy for the most part only on issues of key importance to the occupation administration. SCAP influenced elections, allowing left-liberal politicians to come to power; it strictly supervised the prevention of the spread of nationalistic and militaristic ideas through the education system. However, on other issues, Japanese political actors were freer to act. The creation of the Basic Act on Education and the School Education Law, which became the basis of the new education system, resulted from debates and compromises between various Japanese politicians and educators. The analysis presented in this article leads to the conclusion that Japanese actors played a huge role in shaping the education system. Although most of the results of the changes can be considered victories of liberal actors, conservatives also managed to achieve partial victories, such as the adoption of the Resolution on Religious Sentiment Education. Moreover, the laws that laid down the basic principles of educational policy were not excessively detailed. This feature, also established at the initiative of Japanese actors, made it possible to develop educational policy more flexibly in the future.

The article focuses on examining the evolution of the memory of the Tokyo Tribunal in historical narratives championed by conservative non-governmental organizations in Japan and the impact these organizations had on historical memory in the country. Among the organizations examined are the Association of Shinto Shrines, the Japan Association of War-Bereaved Families, the Association to Answer the Departed War Heroes, the Society for History Textbook Reform, and the Japan Conference. As a theoretical framework, the research applies the approach of O. Malinova, who considers the politics of memory as a variation of symbolic politics, a struggle between various actors for the dominance of their historical narratives in the public sphere.
The study traces the evolution of perceptions of the Tokyo Tribunal within three periods: 1945—1960, 1960—1985, and 1985—present. In the early stages, right-wing conservative organizations avoided direct criticism of the Tokyo Trials, while developing a policy of remembrance that implicitly contradicted the foundations of the order established by the tribunal and the occupation reforms. The efforts of these groups, primarily Shinto associations and veterans’ and war-bereaved families’ associations, were aimed at achieving certain “special interests”: restoring state funding and raising their social status.
In the second period, criticism of the tribunal became more overt. Due to the need to establish their ideological and historical views among the younger generation, and amidst growing national pride due to economic success, right-wing conservatives consolidated around propelling the cult of fallen war heroes (eirei), which was ritualized at the Yasukuni Shrine. During the same period, 14 individuals recognized by the Tokyo Tribunal as Class A war criminals were enshrined there.
The third period is characterized by the open expression of revisionist views, criticism of the “Tokyo Tribunal's view of history.” New influential right-wing organizations emerged, promoting the reform of school textbooks and educational standards along “patriotic lines.” In recent decades, a new trend has gained momentum: against the backdrop of the decline of the once powerful Association of War-Bereaved Families, owing to the ageing of its members, the efforts of right-wing conservative organizations are increasingly focused on the revision of anti-war articles in the Constitution, while the issues of the Tokyo Tribunal are taking a back seat.

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the memory of the Nanjing Massacre as depicted in the works of Chinese and Japanese artists in the post-war period. The events in Nanjing, that took place after the capture of the city by the Japanese army in December 1937, when, according to different estimates, as a result of mass killings, torture, and rape of civilian population by Japanese soldiers, from 40,000 to 400,000 people died, still remain the subject of serious contentions between China and Japan. For each of the countries, this memory remains a severe historical trauma, with China feeling resentment towards its neighbor, and Japan experiencing a loss of face due to defeat in the war and continuing accusations of war crimes. Studying the evolution of how the memory of the Nanjing Massacre has been portrayed through art is crucial for understanding how the countries cope with this chapter in their history and identifying the causes of the ongoing conflict.
The first part of the article is dedicated to the ideologization of the Nanjing problem in the People’s Republic of China and the analysis of the works of Chinese artists that were created in these conditions. The second part presents the works of art dedicated to the Nanjing Massacre created in post-war Japan and draws conclusions about the attitude of the Japanese artistic community towards the tragedy. The author adopts a comprehensive approach, examining the social and political conditions, the historical background, and the motivation of each artist. Special attention in paid to the controversy around the Nanjing Massacre in Japan, which, through the lens of art, reflects the situation in Japanese society as a whole.
The author concludes that art can play a crucial role in enhancing mutual understanding between people and can serve as a tool for overcoming historical trauma. This, however, is only possible with a scientifically backed consensus on the Nanjing issue and provided that the memory is not unjustifiably politicized.

The article examines the novel by Japanese writer Qudan Rie Tokyo Sympathy Tower, which was awarded the prestigious Akutagawa Literary Prize in 2024. The award sparked a wide discussion due to the writer’s use of generative artificial intelligence in her work, which not only suggested some ideas, but also became a prototype for one of the novel’s characters, the AI-built chatbot, and generated its lines. The plot revolves around the construction of an unusual structure by a female architect named Makina Sara, the so-called “Sympathy Tower,” which is essentially a new type of prison and embodies a new sociological theory about “Homo miserabilis.” The term “criminal” in the world of the novel is recognized as outdated and discriminatory, and the concept of “a person worthy of sympathy” is introduced instead. Makina is inspired by the deconstructivist architectural projects of Zaha Hadid, namely the National Stadium in Tokyo, an object that was never built in reality. Gradually, the destinies of the novel’s characters intertwine around the Tower, which ultimately becomes destructive for each of them: one is killed by a Homo miserabilis, another finds himself forever locked in the Tower, while Makina Sara, cut off from society, which did not approve the appearance of the Tower, and immersed in the world of “words” and her own feelings, loses her identity. Of interest is also the image of the Other created in the work — a scandalous American journalist Max Klein, whose statements make it possible to demonstrate not only the vicious nature of the Tower, but also the loss of humanity by the main character. The novel is a philosophical statement about the gradual loss of natural and national languages; about universal tolerance; about the emergence of a new ethics; about the relationship between man and artificial intelligence. To embody these ideas, techniques characteristic of contemporary Japanese literature are used, including uneventful narration, wordplay, and sociophobic characters.

The Three Jewels by Minamoto no Tamenori (Sanbôe, 984) shows, through a variety of didactic examples, how the Buddha, his teachings, and the monastic community are revered; the book was written by a layman and addressed to a laywoman preparing to take monastic vows. The narrator combines tales and quotations from books of the Buddhist canon with historical essays, mostly dealing with how Buddhist rites and customs appeared and took hold in Japan. The material is provided by earlier setsuwa tales, as well as kokushi state annals, kyaku court orders, engi temple legends, betsuden biographies of monks, along with the Chinese encyclopedic work on Buddhism Fayuan Zhulin (from which most of the quotations from the sûtras are taken), as well as the sûtras themselves (primarily the Lotus Sûtra) and some other Tripitaka texts. There is no consistent presentation of historical plots in Sanbôe; there are four stories about outstanding people of antiquity and a series of legends about the miracles of the sûtras, as well as an overview of the annual cycle of rituals, which includes biographies of the people who first performed these rituals in Japan. The beginning of the history of Japanese Buddhism here is attributed to Shôtoku-taishi at the turn of the 6 th — 7 th centuries, while earlier events are left aside. The activities of the 9 th century Tendai school teachers, Saichô and his closest disciples, are traced in particular detail. For some of the most important rites, historical excursuses are not given, probably because they had no founders; the Japanese community adopted them by itself, imitating the mainland community. For studying the history of Buddhism, Sanbôe is particularly interesting, as it reveals what information regarding the adoption of the Buddhist Dharma in Japan and the formation of the Sangha was selected for teaching a noble person and for entertaining reading. The article describes Tamenori’s approach to presenting the prehistory and history of rites, compares his interpretation of the initial stage of the Japanese Buddhist tradition with versions from other setsuwa collections, provides a translation of one of the stories about a rite (3—31), an analysis of its structure, and an overview of the historical episodes of Sanbôe.

This article is dedicated to the anniversary of one of Russia's leading Japanologists. Liudmila Mikhailovna Ermakova's work can be divided into two periods based on geography: in Russia and in Japan, although she never severed her ties with either her homeland or the country she studied. The enormous body of work produced by Ermakova over the years — 250 books, articles, and other texts — is a source of wonder and admiration. It should be emphasized that, throughout her creative career, she remained faithful to translations and research on ancient Japanese literature, beliefs, and mythology. Let us name only the most important of her works: the translation and commentary on the Kojiki (Vol. 2), the Nihon Shoki (Vols. 1—16), the Norito prayers from the Engishiki code and the Senmyo imperial edicts of the Shokunihongi chronicle, Yamato-hime-no Mikoto Seiki (The Life Story of the Devoted Princess Priestess), and many others. Research articles, including accompanying translations and more, constitute a significant and important part of Liudmila Mikhailovna's writings. A special place is occupied by the two-volume work When Heaven and Earth Opened: Myth, Ritual, and Poetry of Early Japan (Moscow: Nauka — Voctochnaya Literatura, 2020). We wish L.M. Ermakova good health and many more years of active creative work.