Philip Turner
@philipturner.bsky.social
Ex-NZ diplomat, now living in Japan. Curious about international politics, East Asia, trade
So desperate was Ishiba to lower Trump’s 25% tariffs to 15%…that he signed on to an incredible surrender regarding Tokyo’s promise for the government to invest $550 billion in the US.” Excoriating and alarming analysis from Richard Katz . open.substack.com/pub/richardk...
Ishiba “Gives Away The Store” to Trump
Pact Permits Trump To Impose New Tariffs if Japan Declines Any Of His Investment Schemes
open.substack.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:56 AM
So desperate was Ishiba to lower Trump’s 25% tariffs to 15%…that he signed on to an incredible surrender regarding Tokyo’s promise for the government to invest $550 billion in the US.” Excoriating and alarming analysis from Richard Katz . open.substack.com/pub/richardk...
Highly relevant to Auckland’s housing situation…
If you oppose new rental apartments that might have a nice view because they're "luxury", but are silent about reserving nice views for the garages of $5 million+ detached houses, congrats! You're part of why Vancouver has a housing crisis.
September 8, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Highly relevant to Auckland’s housing situation…
“By attacking the heart of Putin’s wartime economy, Ukraine is increasing the price of continued aggression at home and abroad,” writes David Kirichenko in The Interpreter.
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/ukraine-s-oil-war-threatens-leave-russia-running-empty
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/ukraine-s-oil-war-threatens-leave-russia-running-empty
Ukraine’s oil war threatens to leave Russia running on empty
Drone attacks on energy infrastructure expose Moscow’s vulnerabilities while raising costs of continued war.
www.lowyinstitute.org
September 8, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Quite a list….
While Russian officials continue to "feed" Russians with tales about patriotism and the "decaying" West, their wives live in luxury on stolen money abroad and their children receive elite education and own real estate worth millions of dollars⤵️
May 30, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Quite a list….
A powerful piece about where Orbanism and Trumpism lead - to elite wealth, kleptocracy and national poverty.
Last week, I wrote about how authoritarianism leads to poverty and corruption. Feels like an appropriate moment to post it again.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
America’s Future Is Hungary
MAGA conservatives love Viktor Orbán. But he’s left his country corrupt, stagnant, and impoverished.
www.theatlantic.com
April 8, 2025 at 3:03 AM
A powerful piece about where Orbanism and Trumpism lead - to elite wealth, kleptocracy and national poverty.
Weird, crazy and bad for everybody. This will hurt the US economy in the short run, but frustratingly for the rest of the world, given the massive size of its market the US will be able to manage the damage better than most. We all lose, but most of us will lose more than the US.
Weird !
james surowiecki has discovered where the completely fabricated trump tariff rate has come from for each country
"...for every country, they just took our trade deficit with that country and divided it by the country's exports to us."
"...for every country, they just took our trade deficit with that country and divided it by the country's exports to us."
April 3, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Weird, crazy and bad for everybody. This will hurt the US economy in the short run, but frustratingly for the rest of the world, given the massive size of its market the US will be able to manage the damage better than most. We all lose, but most of us will lose more than the US.
March 30, 2025 at 10:31 AM
“Trump’s famed unpredictability is likely to force Japan and South Korea to explore other relationships as a hedge against US unreliability…with other aligned nations…or even some degree of accommodation with China.”
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//trump-2-0-s...
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//trump-2-0-s...
Trump 2.0 shock forces Japan and Korea to consider where they stand in the world
Until as recently as last year, the biggest challenge for both Japan and South Korea seemed to be how to manage the rise of China as a rising superpower next door. Yet in just a few months, concern i...
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz
March 27, 2025 at 12:14 AM
“Trump’s famed unpredictability is likely to force Japan and South Korea to explore other relationships as a hedge against US unreliability…with other aligned nations…or even some degree of accommodation with China.”
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//trump-2-0-s...
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//trump-2-0-s...
In the last week Japan has had snow, 27 degree summer weather, massive forest fires -
and a wave of yellow dust from China.
and a wave of yellow dust from China.
Cities throughout Japan were enveloped in yellow sand on Wednesday, with the weather agency predicting the phenomenon to last through Thursday morning.
Yellow sand blankets cities across Japan
The Meteorological Agency says the phenomenon, which could reduce visibility in some regions to under 5 kilometers, is forecast to last through Thursday morning.
www.japantimes.co.jp
March 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
In the last week Japan has had snow, 27 degree summer weather, massive forest fires -
and a wave of yellow dust from China.
and a wave of yellow dust from China.
New poster at a Tokyo station: “Keep our faces up. Let’s stop looking at mobile phones while walking”.
March 26, 2025 at 1:11 AM
New poster at a Tokyo station: “Keep our faces up. Let’s stop looking at mobile phones while walking”.
The FT has some of the best writers in English media. Here is the marvellous Simon Kyler on the “new geopolitical food chain”.
February 10, 2025 at 1:00 AM
The FT has some of the best writers in English media. Here is the marvellous Simon Kyler on the “new geopolitical food chain”.
Reposted by Philip Turner
My preview of Trump's meeting today with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba:
Japan’s Ishiba faces balancing act in first meeting with Trump
Meeting comes as Trump ramps up pressure on US allies and partners
www.voanews.com
February 7, 2025 at 11:50 AM
My preview of Trump's meeting today with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba:
“Yoon has demonstrably failed to provide the sort of leadership the country needs. He shows no sign of understanding the essential give and take that democratic politics demands…and has slipped all too easily into the language of power and hierarchy.” My analysis for Asia Media Centre today.
South Korea’s Ongoing Political Crisis in 2025
The political crisis in South Korea triggered by President Yoon Suk-yeol’s bizarre declaration of martial law on December 3 appears to be deepening rather than ending, writes Philip Turner.
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz
January 21, 2025 at 1:28 AM
“Yoon has demonstrably failed to provide the sort of leadership the country needs. He shows no sign of understanding the essential give and take that democratic politics demands…and has slipped all too easily into the language of power and hierarchy.” My analysis for Asia Media Centre today.
BBC seem to have this wrong. Yoon has been taken into custody but not (yet) arrested. Authorities have 48 hours in which to decide whether or not to do so.
South Korea: Authorities arrest president Yoon Suk Yeol after dramatic hours-long standoff
Yoon Suk Yeol faces insurrection charges and an impeachment trial after trying to impose martial law last month.
www.bbc.com
January 15, 2025 at 5:22 AM
BBC seem to have this wrong. Yoon has been taken into custody but not (yet) arrested. Authorities have 48 hours in which to decide whether or not to do so.
Reposted by Philip Turner
What's up with long-term interest rates? Maybe it's the madness of Trump 2.0 open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
Is There an Insanity Premium on Interest Rates?
Something strange is happening in the bond market. Is it Trump?
open.substack.com
January 8, 2025 at 1:45 PM
What's up with long-term interest rates? Maybe it's the madness of Trump 2.0 open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
“it appears that the democratic process is prevailing over a dangerous if ham-fisted attempt at overturning it – but also that Korea retains some disturbing elements of its former authoritarian culture that are proving hard to shake off”. www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//yoon-suk-ye...
Yoon Suk Yeol Shakes the Foundations of South Korean Democracy
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the world with his abortive declaration of martial law on December 3. He now becomes the third South Korean president to face an impeachment trial within....
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz
December 18, 2024 at 1:01 AM
“it appears that the democratic process is prevailing over a dangerous if ham-fisted attempt at overturning it – but also that Korea retains some disturbing elements of its former authoritarian culture that are proving hard to shake off”. www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//yoon-suk-ye...
Reposted by Philip Turner
The head of South Korea's ruling conservative party appears to have just abandoned Yoon Suk Yeol. He now seemingly will support Yoon's impeachment.
December 6, 2024 at 12:42 AM
The head of South Korea's ruling conservative party appears to have just abandoned Yoon Suk Yeol. He now seemingly will support Yoon's impeachment.
Reposted by Philip Turner
Late (but also early, bc I'm at the airport) to this discussion about why Silicon Valley turned right. I appreciate Henry's discussion of ideologies, but I think a lot of it boils down to a simple thing (with his story): the pettiness of plutocrats 1/ www.programmablemutter.com/p/why-did-si...
Why did Silicon Valley turn right?
The "pounded progressive ally" thesis has limits
www.programmablemutter.com
December 5, 2024 at 11:05 AM
Late (but also early, bc I'm at the airport) to this discussion about why Silicon Valley turned right. I appreciate Henry's discussion of ideologies, but I think a lot of it boils down to a simple thing (with his story): the pettiness of plutocrats 1/ www.programmablemutter.com/p/why-did-si...
Tragic and shocking to see the events in Seoul overnight. Yoon’s behaviour is inexcusable and inexplicable. But heartening to see such a rapid and strong response from Koreans. Their democracy is firmly rooted.
December 3, 2024 at 11:48 PM
Tragic and shocking to see the events in Seoul overnight. Yoon’s behaviour is inexcusable and inexplicable. But heartening to see such a rapid and strong response from Koreans. Their democracy is firmly rooted.
Student in my university class today excused his absence on the grounds that he “overslept”. The class started at 1pm. 🙄😂
November 27, 2024 at 6:31 AM
Student in my university class today excused his absence on the grounds that he “overslept”. The class started at 1pm. 🙄😂
Impressively tough and
considered response from Mexican President to Trump’s tariff threat.
x.com/ishaantharoo...
considered response from Mexican President to Trump’s tariff threat.
x.com/ishaantharoo...
x.com
x.com
November 27, 2024 at 3:50 AM
Impressively tough and
considered response from Mexican President to Trump’s tariff threat.
x.com/ishaantharoo...
considered response from Mexican President to Trump’s tariff threat.
x.com/ishaantharoo...
For good reason, South Korea feels more at risk from Trump 2.0 than others in Asia - but has some strong defences. www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//south-korea...
South Korea Braces for Trump 2.0
During his first term as President of the United States, Donald Trump made global headlines by engaging directly with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an unprecedented diplomatic effort. As he retur...
www.asiamediacentre.org.nz
November 27, 2024 at 1:16 AM
For good reason, South Korea feels more at risk from Trump 2.0 than others in Asia - but has some strong defences. www.asiamediacentre.org.nz//south-korea...