CAPP Newsletter Archive: May 2002
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May 2002 Table of Contents
Message from the DirectorCAPP in the News
New RAND Publications on Asia
RAND Research Highlights
CAPP News and Events
Recommended Resources
Message
from the Director
May's newsletter highlights several recent
commentaries by RAND researchers on Japan's economy and Indonesia's
challenges with terrorism. You'll also find RAND research on
health in Malaysia and opium production in Afghanistan. We hope
you find it informative. Please send any suggestions you have
for our newsletter to Nina_Hachigian@rand.org.
-Nina
Hachigian, CAPP Director
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The
Political Implications of Countering Terrorism in Indonesia
The Indonesian government, which has been reluctant to take action against
local groups with terrorist links, is feeling pressure over the perception
abroad that it is inadequately responding to terrorist threats emanating
from the archipelago. RAND Analyst Angel Rabasa argues that while Indonesia's
full cooperation in the war on terrorism is a key U.S. interest, Indonesia's
stability and the survival of secular democratic government there are equally
important. U.S. policy needs to reconcile these priorities. Read the commentary by
Angel Rabasa from the Asian Wall Street Journal.
Japan's
Enduring Economic Doldrums
For a decade now, Japan has been a black hole at the center of the global
economy. Why Japan, the world's second-largest economy, cannot shake off
its economic doldrums remains a puzzle. The answer, according to this op-ed by
author Greg Treverton, may be as simple as this: The economy is not yet bad
enough to force needed reform.
Japan:
The Wages of Comfort
Charles
Wolf, a RAND Senior Economic Advisor and Corporate Fellow in
International Economics, argues in this Los Angeles Times op-ed that
while President Bush's recent visit to Japan elicited familiar
promises of reform, the practical effects are likely to be minimal.
Instead, China may be the stimulus that pressures Japan to enact
reforms that get Japan's economy growing again.
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Forest
Fires and Mortality
by Narayan Sastry
Reprint: originally published in Demography, v. 39, no. 1, Feb. 2002
Sastry assesses the major population health effects in Malaysia of air pollution
generated by a widespread series of fires that occurred mainly in Indonesia
between April and November of 1997. The results show that the smoke haze
from these fires had a deleterious effect on population health in Malaysia. Order
the Reprint
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RAND Research
Highlights
Examining the Consequences of Reducing Afghanistan's
Heroin Production
The fall of the Taliban regime has led to a resurgence of opium production
in Afghanistan, but the international donor community is looking for programs
that will drastically reduce production. RAND's Drug Policy Research Center
(DPRC) is currently participating in an international
collaborative research effort to project the effects of an Afghan cut-back
in drug production, help policymakers identify opportunities for effective
interventions, and put in place the capacity to monitor the long-term effects
of a ban. Read more
Preparing
for an Aging World
In Preparing for an Aging World: The Case for Cross-National
Research (Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2001), a
panel of experts convened by the National Research Council (NRC),
part of the National Academy of Sciences, examines the issues
surrounding global aging and their implications for policy and
research. Shifts in global age structure - such as the tripling
of the percentage of those aged 65 and older that will occur
by 2050 in Asia and other parts of the world - highlight several
areas in which policymakers need a clearer understanding of aging's
effects and the impacts of alternative policies. Read
More
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CAPP News
and Events
Richard
H. Solomon Joins CAPP Advisory Board
The
Center for Asia Pacific Policy is pleased to announce that Richard
H. Solomon, a longtime friend of RAND, has joined the CAPP Advisory
Board. Ambassador Solomon has served as Assistant Secretary of
State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and is currently President
of the United States Institute of Peace, a nonpartisan organization
created by Congress to promote research, policy analysis, and
education on international conflict management and other issues. Read
More
CAPP
Roundtable Explores Major Challenges Confronting China
Dr. Kenneth Lieberthal, who served as Special Assistant to the President
for Asia and Senior Director for Asia on the National Security Council from
1998-2000, joined a roundtable at RAND's Santa Monica office to discuss China's
major domestic challenges. Read
more
CAPP
Hosts Discussion with Ambassador on U.S.-India Relations
Frank Wisner, former U.S. Ambassador to India and CAPP Advisory Board member,
came to RAND's Santa Monica office on March 11, 2002 to provide an overview
of U.S.-India relations to an audience of RAND researchers and
fellow advisory board members. Read
more
Japan's
Response to Terrorism
CAPP
and the Japan America Society co-sponsored a discussion with Dr.
Tomohito Shinoda, Associate Professor from the International University
of Japan, at RAND's Santa Monica office. Dr. Shinoda discussed
Japan's response to terrorism with an audience of RAND staff, members
of the Japan America Society, journalists, and others. Read
More
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The following are newsgroups, magazines, portal sites, and other online resources that policy analysts, researchers, and others studying Asia-Pacific policy may find helpful. Please note that CAPP has no control over these sites and is not responsible for their content. Links to other sites are provided for convenience of reference only and are not intended as an endorsement by CAPP or RAND.
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