Given that I grew up in Japan and all, occasionally I feel like I should know more about the place. Also, given that I work at Mother Jones and all, occasionally I feel like I should link to its site more. Happily, I can do both by pointing out this piece by Chalmers Johnson on the rise of China and the increasing militarism of Japan. Some of his views are plainly wrong—the North Korea crisis would almost certainly not be solved if the U.S. simply issued a "no hostile intent" pledge—and for some reason he thinks that China will magically become the world's first benevolent hegemon. That said, it's a good overview of goings-on in the Pacific and Johnson's warning that great wars tend to occur when existing great powers fail to adjust to a new great power is well-taken.