Benn Steil's Wall Street Journal op-ed explains the unique historical circumstances in which the Bretton Woods international monetary system emerged in 1944, and why calls for "a new Bretton Woods" today will go unsatisfied.

The election of the hawkish Shinzo Abe as Japan's prime minister has the world worrying that Tokyo is about to part with its pacifist strategy of the last 70 years. But Japan's new leaders are pragmatic, and so long as the United States does not waver in its commitment to the country's defense, they are unlikely chart a new course.

South Korea's vice minister of foreign affairs and trade explains the need for an increasing role of middle powers in global governance and South Korea's role in the G20.

President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Abe made these remarks after their meeting on February 22, 2013.

President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Abe released this statement after their meeting on February 22, 2013, regarding trade relations.

Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communication Ben Rhodes held this conference call with National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Danny Russel and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Mike Froman, to preview Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's visit to Washington, on February 22, 2013.

Micah Zenko argues, "routine and unchallenged assertions highlight what is perhaps the most widely agreed-upon conventional wisdom in U.S. foreign and national security policymaking: the inherent power of signaling."

North Korea's third successful nuclear test has been widely condemned by the international community. CFR's Paul Stares highlights three things to know about the test and its implications for nuclear nonproliferation.

Secretary John Kerry and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gave these remarks before their meeting on February 14, 2013. They outlined the main issues they would discuss: North Korea's nuclear test and Six Party Talks, negotiations with Iran, the crisis in Syria, and France's intervention in Mali.

The UN Security Council passed this resolution regarding North Korea and ballistic missile technology on January 22, 2013.

A conservative and a progressive appear to offer South Koreans sharply different presidential options, but both are likely to pursue similar foreign policy tracks, says CFR's Scott Snyder.

In a major electoral comeback, Japan's conservatives have won a supermajority in parliament. But the results have stirred anxieties about how they will use their power, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Reviving Japan's economy from its two-decade-long slump is key to stabilizing the country's political environment, says expert Gerald Curtis.

On the upcoming South Korean presidential election, Scott A. Snyder says the determining vote will be "South Korea's bulging forties cohort" that played a critical role in South Korea's transition from authoritiarianism to democracy and also has the greatest stake in its economic stability.

Sebastian Mallaby argues that Europe's future is looking frighteningly like Japan's past.

While they acknowledge the importance of building and maintaining positive relations with China, South Koreans feel apprehensive about China's growing influence.

The success of the Global Green Growth Institute, a new international organization dedicated to changing the way countries grow economically, depends on its ability to effectively address developing countries' institutional and technical shortcomings. If efficacious, however, it could revolutionize international economic development efforts.

Scott Snyder speaks to Balbina Hwang and Terry Roehrig on South Korea's contributions to international security.

Authors of the new CFR ebook Global Korea: South Korea's Contributions to International Security will discuss the ways South Korea is becoming a more active contributor to international security by participating in peacekeeping, antipiracy, postconflict stabilization, counterproliferation, and other activities.

Despite an ongoing threat from North Korea, South Korea has emerged as a producer rather than a consumer of international security goods. As a newly elected member of the UN Security Council, South Korea has the opportunity to use these investments as a "middle power" and responsible leader in the international community, says Scott A. Snyder.