12 October 2016
05 minutes
Photo: Alamy
In December Russian president Vladimir Putin will fly to Nagato for a summit with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Ending Tokyo’s longstanding dispute with Moscow over the southern Kuril Islands will be a top priority. We discuss why.
12 October 2016
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle's email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
The Foreign Desk - latest episodes
Explainer 223: Why Melbourne’s new lockdown is a warning to the world
As Melbourne reimposes its coronavirus lockdown and Victoria closes its border with New South Wales, Andrew Mueller explains that while some cities are reopening, it’s the ones closing back down that might give more of an…
Has the Confederacy finally surrendered?
More than 150 years after the US Civil War ended, Mississippi has decided to haul down the state flag that bore the Confederate battle standard. But are we witnessing more than just cosmetic alterations? Is the South really…
Explainer 222: Why did Iran issue an arrest warrant for Trump?
This week Iran issued an arrest warrant for Donald Trump over January’s killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani – and asked Interpol for its help in enforcing it. Andrew Mueller looks at what Iran might actually be…
Has populism been found out?
The pandemic is a populist’s nightmare: a virus makes no ideological distinctions and requires expertise and patience to defeat. In Brazil, at least 50,000 people have died while a populist president blusters – a situation…
Explainer 221: Where is Socotra and who has invaded it?
In an intriguing sub-plot of Yemen’s ghastly civil war, one of the factions allegedly supporting the government has taken control of an island near the Gulf of Aden. Andrew Mueller looks at who has seized Socotra and why…
The Philippines: Rodrigo Duterte goes after the messengers
The conviction of prominent journalist Maria Ressa is yet another worrying sign of the Philippines’ direction under Rodrigo Duterte. Andrew Mueller talks to Sheila Coronel and Richard Heydarian about Duterte’s assault on…
Explainer 220: What are Somaliland and Somalia discussing in Djibouti?
As Somalia conducts talks with the unrecognised government of breakaway region Somaliland, Andrew Mueller asks if Somaliland’s time might be coming.
Jeffrey Sachs and the future of globalisation
We talk to leading economist – and advisor to three UN secretary-generals – Jeffrey Sachs about his new book, ‘The Ages Of Globalisation: Geography, Technology and Institutions’, which tracks globalisation through history…
Explainer 219: Why has North Korea stopped talking to South Korea?
As North Korea halts all cross-border communication with the South in a row over propaganda balloons, Andrew Mueller wonders why Pyongyang has chosen this moment to get so angry.
Black Lives Matter: a tipping point?
The killing of George Floyd has resulted in protests across the US and the world. Andrew Mueller is joined by Charles H Ramsey – former Washington police chief and co-chair of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which…
Explainer 218: Make G7 G8 again?
Why did Russia get punted out of the G7 and why does Trump want it back in? Andrew Mueller explains.
Is this China’s world now?
Has the pandemic accelerated China’s plans? Andrew Mueller talks to James Chambers about the escalating situation in Hong Kong, to Beijing journalist Sophia Yan about China’s plans elsewhere and to former diplomat John…
Explainer 217: How will Benjamin Netanyahu survive his trial?
As the trial begins of Israel’s long-serving prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Andrew Mueller explains what the charges are why Netanyahu is still in the job.
Remember Brexit?
The devastating impact of coronavirus has, quite rightly, become the top priority of the EU and the UK. But Brexit is still happening. The current transition period is due to end on 31 December and the 30 June deadline for…
Explainer 216: Afghanistan’s power-sharing deal
Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah have signed a power-sharing deal that ends months of political uncertainty. Andrew Mueller wonders if this really will bring the kind of change that the…
