IINA: Expo Diplomacy: Achievements and Legacies ―The “Co-Creation" Needed for Japan’s Diplomacy Pursuing Universal Values

The Osaka-Kansai Expo ("Osaka Expo"), which opened in April 2025, drew to a close on October 13 after six months of operation. Since the decision was made by the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to host the event in 2018, there have been various criticisms in Japan, including the pros and cons of holding the event on an artificial island called Yumeshima and the repeated rise in the cost of setting up the venue and other hosting expenses.

By Takuya Yuasa, Lecturer, Osaka Sangyo University

SPF China Observer: Satellite Imagery Analysis - Analyzing China’s Plutonium Holdings

Developments concerning China’s fast breeder reactors (FBRs) in Fujian Province are drawing much attention. A satellite image taken in April 2025 (to be discussed later) shows that a massive amount of water is being discharged from Reactor 1 into the sea, indicating that the reactor is in operation.

IINA: Redefining Air Defense in a New Era ――Europe’s Drone Crisis Poses Challenges for Japan

The repeated incursions of small unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) into the northern and eastern fringes of Europe are not only prompting the strengthening of air defense capabilities, but also the revision and realization of existing air defense concepts. In September 2025, successive incidents of drone intrusions were confirmed in Poland, Romania, and Denmark, as well as in Estonia, where Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace.

By Jun Nagashima, Senior Research Advisor, Nakasone Peace Institute, Lt. Gen, JASDF (Ret.)