Sheila A. Smith says Yoshihiko Noda will need to stitch together a frayed party and a fractured public to lead Japan — and stay in power.

Sheila A. Smith says the short-term prognosis for Japan's electricity supply is uncertain, yet it is the longer term effort to reform energy policy that is vital to resolving the current impasse in Japan's nuclear debate.

Sheila A. Smith says Yoshihiko Noda will need to stitch together a frayed party and a fractured public to lead Japan — and stay in power.

Yoshihiko Noda, set to become Japan's prime minister, could be a reassuring presence amid economic and political turmoil, but it's not clear what energy he will have for global affairs, writes CFR's Sheila Smith.

Sheila A. Smith says the short-term prognosis for Japan's electricity supply is uncertain, yet it is the longer term effort to reform energy policy that is vital to resolving the current impasse in Japan's nuclear debate.

Sheila A. Smith says the disasters in Japan must be seen as a catalyst not only for building a stronger Japan but for building stronger systems of regional and global cooperation.

Sheila A. Smith discusses the challenges facing Japan as it begins to rebuild after the earthquake and tsunami.

The earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan will have a severe, lasting impact on the Japanese economy, says CFR's Sheila Smith, Senior Fellow for Japan Studies.

Japan's most powerful earthquake and the accompanying tsunami will sorely test its weak government and have a devastating impact on its struggling economy, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Japan's new national defense policy makes only modest changes to its overall capabilities but signals new concerns about threats from China, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Yesterday's high-level meeting involving Japan, South Korea, and the United States demonstrated that tolerance for Chinese support for North Korea has reached its limit, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

President Obama's Asia trip was marked by trade-related letdowns, missed opportunities, and fresh reminders that divergences of interests could be hard to finesse, say four CFR experts.

The Obama administration's failure to reach a trade pact with South Korea and craft a strategic agenda for its alliance with Japan bodes ill for bolstering its influence in Asia, writes CFR's Sheila Smith.

What will Obama focus on during his upcoming Asia trip? CFR experts Evan Feigenbaum, Joshua Kurlantzick, Scott Snyder, Edward Alden, and Sheila Smith discuss the agendas for India, Indonesia, South Korea, G20, and Japan.

The escalating dispute between Beijing and Tokyo about Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain is a challenge for Washington and raises concerns about Chinese maritime activities in the Asia Pacific, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan's reelection as head of Japan's ruling Democratic Party means some long-needed continuity in Japanese government, but the party needs to demonstrate its effectiveness, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Sheila A. Smith says the U.S. president and the Japanese prime minister must reassure their publics of the value of a continued U.S.-Japan alliance.

Sheila A. Smith says the future of the U.S.-Japan alliance rests on building trust among the people of Japan and their leaders.

Sheila A. Smith comments on the resignation of Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatayama.

The surprise collapse of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's government raises questions about the DPJ party's ability to lead the country, its U.S. ties, and its security policy, writes CFR's Sheila Smith.

In a series of Northeast Asian summits, China gave no signal it was prepared to ramp up pressure on North Korea, to the detriment of regional security efforts, writes CFR's Sheila Smith.

The United States, South Korea, and Japan have displayed solidarity in response to ramped-up tensions with North Korea, but China needs to be more active in crisis diplomacy, says CFR's Sheila Smith.