G20 Osaka Debrief: Quality Infrastructure | July 17, 2019, 9:58 a.m.

On June 28-29, government leaders representing 85 percent of the global economy convened for the fourteenth G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan. In the wake of the meeting, the CSIS Simon Chair in Political Economy hosted experts including Japan's ambassador to the G20, Koji Tomita, to discuss major outcomes, including China's endorsement of the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment.

View All Analysis | July 11, 2019, 9:15 a.m.

Browse our analysis section for news and articles on topics such as China's Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR), the Competing Visions of Japan, India, and other regional powers, and the stakes for U.S. policy.

Japan Revamps Myanmar Port | July 8, 2019, 9:12 a.m.

Japan will announce a new plan for Mynamar's Dawei special economic zone that focuses on building a port that will export to India. The proposal comes as China is building and financing Kyaukphyu port, increasing its economic influence in the country, reports Nikkei.

India, U.S., Japan Talk Infrastructure | June 28, 2019, 9:12 a.m.

On the sidelines of the Group of 20 Summit in Osaka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a trilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss areas for cooperation on connectivity and infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific, Nikkei reports.

Achieving Sustainability through Quality Infrastructure | June 27, 2019, 12:06 p.m.

It is critical that public-sector officials responsible for infrastructure development—both at the local and national levels—commit to transparent practices to secure sustainable financing mechanisms.

Xi, Abe Talk Infrastructure Cooperation | June 27, 2019, 9:07 a.m.

U.S., Japan, Australia Fund Indo-Pacific Infrastructure | June 26, 2019, 9:46 a.m.

Government-backed lenders in Japan, the U.S., and Australia plan to issue a statement on their joint infrastructure efforts, including possible joint-financing for an liquefied natural gas terminal in Papua New Guinea. The three countries agreed in November to collaborate on infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific as an alternative to China's Belt and Road initiative, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

ASEAN Starts Digital Cooperation | June 21, 2019, 10:44 a.m.

The U.S.-China trade war has spurred ASEAN members to complete the negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The Asian leaders will also look to find areas of cooperation in digital infrastructure, reports Nikkei Asian Review.

World Bank Head Pushes China Transparency | June 12, 2019, 9:25 a.m.

Newly seated World Bank President David Malpass says the multilateral organization is working hard to ensure Beijing improves transparency in lending to countries involved in its Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

Duterte Nets $6B in Tokyo | June 11, 2019, 9:12 a.m.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited Japan last month, his third visit in less than three years. In Tokyo, Duterte collected close to $6 billion in bilateral investment deals, including infrastructure, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

5G Applications Lag | June 10, 2019, 9:20 a.m.

South Korea, the U.S. and Japan lead the rollout of 5G networks, but industry leaders say that applications designed to use the next-generation technology are years away, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan Plans $925M Infrastructure Fund | June 6, 2019, 9:04 a.m.

Japan's MUFG Bank will set up a $924.4 million fund - the largest-ever such fund by a Japanese bank - to invest in infrastructure projects overseas by the end of 2019. The fund will target renewable energy and transportation projects, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan Shuns Huawei 5G | June 5, 2019, 9:37 a.m.

Rakuten, Japan's newest wireless carrier has chosen NEC Corp., a domestic supplier, to build out its 5G network as carriers in Japan and elsewhere shun equipment made by China's Huawei Technologies, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

G-20 to Sign Infrastructure Guidelines | June 3, 2019, 9:17 a.m.

At this week's Group of 20 meeting in Japan, finance ministers and central bankers are expected to sign sustainable infrastructure investment guidelines to help prevent developing economies from taking on dangerous amounts of debt, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

US-China Rivalry Boosts SE Asia Infrastructure | May 29, 2019, 9:16 a.m.

Cambodia and other nations across Southeast Asia are emerging as vital staging grounds for a new form of power struggle between China and its rivals. The growth of Beijing's vast Belt and Road Initiative since 2013 has galvanized the U.S. and its allies -- including Japan, India and Australia -- and prompted them to draw up infrastructure and security programs of their own, writes Gwen Robinson for the Nikkei Asian Review

Asian Lenders Halt Coal Funds | May 14, 2019, 9:23 a.m.

The biggest commercial bank in Japan is one of the latest Asian lenders to consider a ban on funding for new coal-fired power stations. Asian banks are recognizing the global threat from climate change and pulling back financing for the world's most carbon-intensive energy source, Nikkei reports.

Japan's G20 Infrastructure Push | May 8, 2019, 10:22 a.m.

As this year's host of the Group of 20 countries, Tokyo is taking the opportunity to push a novel idea: quality infrastructure investment, or QII, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

ASEAN+3 to Insure Infrastructure Financing | May 6, 2019, 9:08 a.m.

ASEAN members plus China, Japan and South Korea agreed to create a framework insuring private funding for infrastructure projects of up to $1.5 billion under a new program to be called the Infrastructure Investors Partnership, reports Nikkei.

Experts: China's BRI Requires Global Norms | May 1, 2019, 9:19 a.m.

If China's push to build a massive, continent-spanning economic zone is to yield true benefits for all involved, Beijing must shift its policy course and embrace internationally accepted norms for the BRI, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Italy Commits to Japan's Infrastructure Principles | April 25, 2019, 9:13 a.m.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Italian PM Giuseppe Conte agreed to uphold Japan's four conditions for high-quality infrastructure during a bilateral summit in Rome. Italy recently signed on to China's Belt and Road Initiative, sparking concerns the country would fall prey to "debt-trap diplomacy," reports Nikkei.

Abe offers Eastern Europe BRI Alternative | April 18, 2019, 9:10 a.m.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Slovakia later this month, where he plans to offer Eastern European leaders Japanese-financed infrastructure investments. Abe is expected to raise concerns about China's so-called debt-trap diplomacy, presenting Japan's approach as an alternative to the Belt and Road Initiative, reports Nikkei.

China Presses Japan to Drop Huawei Ban | April 17, 2019, 9:27 a.m.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi pressed the Japanese government to reverse a ban on Huawei from competing for Japan's 5G procurement contracts. This development comes as the Chinese government steps in to defend Huawei against a campaign by the United States pushing allies to exclude the company's equipment from their 5G networks out of national security concerns, reports Nikkei.

Japan Prepares for 5G | April 11, 2019, 9:13 a.m.

Major Japanese companies across industrial sectors are signing partnerships with Japanese telecommunication firms to develop products and services that make use of the super-charged national 5G network, set to open in 2020. The Japanese government is encouraging these partnerships, claiming that 5G will be the "basic infrastructure" of the 21st century, reports Nikkei.

Duterte Plans Japan Visit | March 22, 2019, 9:06 a.m.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will visit Japan in late May to discuss infrastructure projects the Japanese government is supporting in the Philippines, including the country's first-ever subway line in Manila. Duterte has also recently confirmed through a spokesman that he will attend April's international Belt and Road conference in Beijing, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan to Check BRI at G20 | March 18, 2019, 9:03 a.m.

Japan plans to propose new guidelines on development assistance, tentatively titled the "G-20 principles on quality infrastructure investment,” when it hosts the Group of 20 summit in June. The proposal, which will frame anti-corruption and fiscal sustainability as key principles of infrastructure investment, is seen as an attempt to check China’s Belt and Road Initiative, reports Nikkei.

Duterte Plans Philippines' First Subway | March 8, 2019, 9:16 a.m.

The Philippines held a groundbreaking ceremony for the country's first subway line under President Rodrigo Duterte's infrastructure push. The Japanese government is giving full backing to the project. The design and construction work will be implemented by a four-member consortium of Japanese contractors, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Calibrating a U.S. Infrastructure Strategy for the Indo-Pacific | March 5, 2019, 9:51 a.m.

The U.S.’ new infrastructure strategies must not only respond to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, but also consider the complex landscape of overlapping initiatives already on offer in the Indo-Pacific.

Japan-EU Agreement Sets Precedent for Digital Rules | Feb. 4, 2019, 11:59 a.m.

Taking effect Friday, The economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union incorporates wide-ranging regulations on data transfer and intellectual property protection. The trade deal could help establish precedent for the digital field, Nikkei reports.

Japan To Build "Smart Cities" in ASEAN Nations | Jan. 3, 2019, 9:18 a.m.

In an effort to provide an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative, Japan will help build "smart cities" across Southeast Asia, using artificial intelligence and networked devices to tackle problems like road congestion and energy conservation, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

19 Projects to Watch in 2019 | Dec. 21, 2018, 11:20 a.m.

Reconnecting Asia tracks infrastructure developments across Eurasia, a vast landmass that includes 60 percent of the global economy. Every day, new infrastructure projects are announced, some are advanced, and others encounter obstacles. Here is a selection of projects and trends we will be watching in 2019.

France Halts Japanese Nuclear Project | Dec. 19, 2018, 10:09 a.m.

The French government recently informed Tokyo of plans to freeze a fast reactor joint project amid rising uranium reserves, which threatens to make redundant Japan's long-standing policy of recycling spent nuclear fuel.

China, Japan Vie For Philippines' LNG Terminal | Dec. 18, 2018, 9:15 a.m.

Tokyo Gas and China National Offshore Oil Corporation both partnered with Filipino companies to compete for the building of the Philippines' first liquefied natural gas terminal. Though Japan and China's leaders agreed to jointly advance third-country infrastructure projects, companies have not been able to shift from competition to collaboration in the field, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan Unveils Faster Bullet Train | Dec. 13, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

East Japan Railway unveiled a cutting-edge shinkansen bullet train that is expected to slash the travel time between Tokyo and Sapporo by nearly 40 percent when the route goes into service in 2030.

India Boosts Subway Network | Dec. 6, 2018, 9:19 a.m.

Indian cities are vastly expanding their subway networks to reduce road congestion and gasoline consumption. The Delhi Metro is expected to reach 378 kilometers of track this year, catching up with New York--the world's fourth-largest subway system.

Japan To Spend $26.5B On Infrastructure Repairs | Dec. 5, 2018, 10:32 a.m.

Japan's government has decided to spend over $26.5 billion on infrastructure repairs through March 2021 after identifying 132 existing infrastructure problems at airports, along rivers, at hospitals and with the power grid.

Japan To Scrap $44B Nuclear Project | Dec. 4, 2018, 9:33 a.m.

A Japan-led consortium is set to abandon a Turkish nuclear power project that had been touted as a model for Tokyo's export of infrastructure. The delayed project's construction costs have doubled to around $44 billion, making it difficult for lead builder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and its partners to continue with the plans.

Japan Develops Floating Power Plant | Dec. 3, 2018, 9:06 a.m.

Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries has created a floating, gas-fired power plant that it hopes to sell to power companies in rapidly growing economies in Asia and as an emergency source of power in areas hit by natural disasters where infrastructure remains underdeveloped, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

APEC To Address Infrastructure Debt | Nov. 14, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

Japan and several other members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will propose updating the "APEC Guidebook on Quality of Infrastructure Development and Investment" to include new rules that take into consideration the financial sustainability and transparency of infrastructure debt.

Japanese Firms Expect Infrastructure Losses | Nov. 9, 2018, 9:11 a.m.

Japan To Aid Malaysian Rail | Nov. 6, 2018, 9:43 a.m.

Japan will send experts from Kyushu Railway Co. and Japan Freight Railway Co. to Malaysia later in the month to study ways to improve the country's railway transportation system.

China To Build Large Offshore Wind Project | Nov. 5, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

China is starting to build its largest offshore wind-power facility in the latest move in an accelerating shift in Asia away from solar to wind and other renewable energy sources.

Abe, Modi Seek Infrastructure Cooperation | Oct. 30, 2018, 9:05 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to collaborate on infrastructure, such as port and road projects in third countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

Xi, Abe to Cooperate on Infrastructure | Oct. 29, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to accelerate cooperation on overseas infrastructure projects and finance as a symbol of their revamped ties.

Japan To Partner With China | Oct. 24, 2018, 9:17 a.m.

Japan plans to stop offering development aid to China after nearly 40 years, seeking instead to establish a framework for the two countries to cooperate as equal partners on infrastructure and other projects in developing countries.

JBIC Lends To Indonesian Power Plant | Oct. 22, 2018, 8:55 a.m.

A Japanese-led consortium of international banks will jointly lend $1.31 billion for a thermal power station in West Java, Indonesia fueled by liquefied natural gas.

Japan To Expand Cheap Infrastructure Loans | Oct. 19, 2018, 9:54 a.m.

Japan drafted a plan to offer greater assistance for infrastructure development overseas ahead of a key summit with China next week, as it prepares to pursue joint projects with Beijing in third countries, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan, EU To Jointly Fund Infrastructure | Oct. 17, 2018, 9:11 a.m.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the European Investment Bank will collaborate to extend loans for infrastructure projects in the Middle East and Africa, in an apparent effort to offer an alternative model to China's Belt and Road Initiative and U.S. protectionism, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

India To Partially Open HSR in 2022 | Oct. 15, 2018, 9:14 a.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to launch India's first high-speed railway by August 2022. Faced with challenges in domestic procurement and land acquisition, project leaders are considering a partial opening to coincide with the 75th anniversary of India's independence.

Japan, Mekong Nations Push Infrastructure | Oct. 10, 2018, 9:18 a.m.

The leaders of Japan and five Southeast Asian countries agreed to adopt a new policy that pushes forward more than 150 projects in the Mekong region using official development assistance from Japan.

Saudis Shelve $200B Solar Project | Oct. 2, 2018, 10:50 a.m.

Saudi Arabia has shelved a $200 billion plan to build a 200GW solar farm with Japan's SoftBank Group.