President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday said he wanted Taiwan to make “full use” of its soft power and to become a provider of humanitarian assistance, which is one element of soft power.

As we mourn all the deaths and suffering from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, and especially think of our numerous IMD alumni and friends who may have been affected, we also see that the tragedy provides an opportunity — even a responsibility — to draw broad lessons and look forward.

Asia's extraterrestrial ambitions have rocketed from nowhere in the 50 years since the first human space flight, with China shooting for the moon while India and Japan fuel up their own programmes.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program has been around since 1987. This program, the largest component of which places native English speakers in Japan’s junior and senior high schools for year-long tours of duty as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), has thousands of alumni from around the world – more than 20,000 from the United States alone.

A major task facing government officials dealing with the Great East Japan Earthquake was how to transmit reports about the unprecedented damage to a worldwide audience. To seek out needed assistance and to restrain excessive rumors and false speculation required the relaying of timely and accurate information.

Fort Bragg residents have raised more than $63,500 for residents of tsunami-ravaged Otsuchi, their sister city in northeastern Japan...Members of the Fort Bragg Otsuchi Cultural Exchange Association began fundraising efforts in the days following the devastation, appealing to residents in the city of about 8,000.

Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands swept away by the towering wave.

A group of South Korean women who have protested outside the Japanese embassy every week for 20 years halted their protests for only the second time ever to show support for those affected by the March 11 tsunami in Japan.