On 18 December 2020, the Japanese Cabinet decided on a new policy to upgrade its missile defence systems to cope with the evolving missile threats in the surrounding region. Meanwhile, speculations have been brewing with regard to whether Japan might abandon its traditional policy of exclusive self-defence, drift from its alliance with the United States or start developing indigenous strike capabilities against military targets within its adversaries’ territories.

This report provides an overview of Japan’s efforts to upgrade its missile defence systems to meet with the evolving security environment, and the debates surrounding such efforts within Japan. The report also analyses the key factors shaping the future course of Japan’s missile defence strategy.

Open Nuclear Network (ONN), a programme of One Earth Future, is a non-governmental organisation committed to global peacebuilding efforts via the two-pronged approach explained in this paper. ONN is dedicated to reducing nuclear risks through the use of open source data analysis and engagement with decision makers in areas of conflict. Its focus this year — the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War — is on the Korean Peninsula and the continued tension in the region. This paper examines the complex entanglement surrounding the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear crisis and identifies possible triggers and pathways towards conflict escalation. It serves both as a guide to establishing a general operational concept and as an action plan outline for ONN’s analysts and its Engagement Network to reduce the risk that nuclear weapons may be used in response to error, uncertainty and misdirection during times of crisis.

Following the 2020 parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea where DPRK Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un delivered his congratulatory address to the nation, ONN performed a detailed analysis of his speech. Using qualitative and quantitative methods of text and sentiment analysis, the article determines how unique the 2020 address was compared to all the previous speeches given by the North Korean leader.

North Korea’s 75th Anniversary parade showed off an abundance of new military hardware, including a new ICBM over 25m in length. Analysts from the Open Nuclear Network breakdown what it means for the region and the US, and how this new weapon brings a destabilizing new challenge to nuclear risk reduction.

This is a viewbook prepared following the DPRK's military parade held on 10 October 2020 in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

The main focus of this viewbook is to provide updates on DPRK's ballistic missile systems based on observations from the parade. It also includes some heavy artillery pieces and air defense systems that have been presented during previous parades.

This is a viewbook prepared in anticipation of a military parade likely to be held on or around 10 October 2020 by the DPRK in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

The main focus of this viewbook is on the DPRK’s ballistic missile systems, but it also includes some heavy artillery pieces and air defense systems that have been presented during previous parades.

South Korea’s chief negotiator at the Six Party Talks, Amb. Chun Yung-woo, has joined ONN’s Engagement Network. In this two part series, he sits down with Jee Lee to discuss approaches to engage North Korea and reminisces about what he’s learned in previous negotiations.

South Korea’s chief negotiator at the Six Party Talks, Amb. Chun Yung-woo, has joined ONN’s Engagement Network. In this two part series, he sits down with Jee Lee to discuss approaches to engage North Korea and reminisces about what he’s learned in previous negotiations.

Building off of Datayo’s topic modeling toolkit, we break down North Korea’s official English news media by sentiment. First we explore how sentiment patterns manifest within the entire English language news corpus from 1996 to 2020. Then we look at how sentiment patterns manifest within a set of articles related to our previously identified nuclear weapons topic. 

This report introduces a new forecasting tool that uses structural data in order to make predictions of the outcome of elections on a global scale, complementing most existing election forecasting tools which are country-specific.