Marco Zappa

Japanese Studies researcher @CaFoscari, History, Environment, International Relations. Tweeting, from time to time.

[Giulio Pugliese @PugliesAsia]

Double bill in Venice on May 20 and May 22.

Will talk Japan and Taiwan (sometimes of both at the same time) — in English and Italian: grazie @mrc_zappa!

[Luigi Spinola @luigispinola]

Con @fmartino_obc @DegliDynes @Stef_Montefiori @TizBreda @giammarcosicuro Nima Baheli @LucianaBorsatti @mrc_zappa @Masdeluca @MartaAllevato @A_Braschayko Matteo Petracci Grazie a tutti, buon ascolto

[RAI Radio3mondo @radio3mondo]

🎧 Nell'approfondimento con @luigispinola su @Radio3tweet:
🇺🇸 🇮🇷 La strategia negoziale USA e quella iraniana -
@LucianaBorsatti e Nima Baheli
Anche il Giappone al mercato delle armi - @mrc_zappa
https://t.co/44mlK0fN90

[National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies @GRIPS_English]

We are privileged to announce that GRIPS alumnus Mr. Le Minh Hung was elected as new Prime Minister of Viet Nam at the first session of the 16th National Assembly on April 7, 2026.

Mr. Hung graduated from the IMF-sponsored Transition Economy Program at the Graduate School for Policy Science – GRIPS’ predecessor with a Master of Public Policy in 1997.

[AffarInternazionali @AffInt]

Sul filo del rasoio: agenda ed equilibrismi politici del governo #Takaichi

🖋️ @PugliesAsia oggi su AffarInternazionali↘️
https://t.co/RV8m71CWbx

[David McNeill @DavidMcNeill3]

RIP Tomiichi Murayama. I interviewed him in 2015 and found him to be a decent, principled man, still sharp as a tack in his nineties. “Japanese schools didn’t teach much history (of World War 2) because the government couldn’t decide if it was a good war or a bad war,” he said.

[Giulio Pugliese @PugliesAsia]

Big news.

Part of the KMT may well be pro-Beijing (and don’t forget vested interests driving that stance). It’s often lost in commentariat that they are also able to sell to Taiwanese electorate ability to navigate cross-Strait tensions versus DPP.

https://t.co/47fB5X7F9h

[Ken Moriyasu @kenmoriyasu]

1: Jan 3: Biden blocks Nippon Steel deal citing national security concerns
2: Jan 7: Japan lays groundwork for state visit by China's Xi
Geopolitics works fast.
https://t.co/zRIPO2YfJn

[Marco Zappa @mrc_zappa]

An interesting commentary on the future of Japan-ASEAN ties and Tokyo's fading clout over the region: https://t.co/oxYREZWjqc

[Rintaro Nishimura | 西村凜太郎 @RinNishimura]

Rumored Ishiba Cabinet/LDP party leadership lineup. So far it seems he's rewarding his backers in the election and appointing those close to him who had been excluded from senior positions for the last decade or so. Three ex-defense ministers take up key posts.

[Jeffrey J. Hall 🇯🇵🇺🇸 @mrjeffu]

Breaking: Japan's next Prime Minister, Ishiba Shigeru, will announce tomorrow that he is going to dissolve the Diet and call an general election. Election day will be October 27th. https://t.co/vZarOBo4hX

[Rintaro Nishimura | 西村凜太郎 @RinNishimura]

Real winner tonight may have been Kishida. Despite being pressured to step down, he was a decisive force in securing Ishiba's victory (his people will be treated well). He established himself as the kingmaker over Aso (Takaichi) and Suga (Koizumi), who backed losing candidates.

[Marco Zappa @mrc_zappa]

This nice NYT report from 2021 is telling of the relation between Ishiba and his local constituency in rural Tottori. https://t.co/EXJ7Xw7C67

[Marco Zappa @mrc_zappa]

Who's Japan's next prime minister? Besides what's in the explainer, he has been vocal on the 2023 LDP kickback scandal, emerging as a "clean" political figure in contrast with many of his colleagues: https://t.co/Kxs51JM3iS

[Việt Nam News @VietnamNewsVNS]

Following official talks, Party leader, President Tô Lâm & Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping enjoyed tea in a ceremony has become a tradition in meetings between high-level leaders of Việt Nam and China, showcasing their comradeship and brotherhood. 🇻🇳🇨🇳
📸VNA/VNS Photos Trí Dũng

[Gearoid Reidy リーディー・ガロウド @GearoidReidy]

Japan has ended its alert for the Nankai Trough megaquake.

Of course, this doesn't mean the danger has passed entirely - and anywhere in Japan should be ready for a M7+ quake at any time.

Did the alert focus public attention? Or will it become a "boy who cried wolf" situation?

[Gearoid Reidy リーディー・ガロウド @GearoidReidy]

ADDENDUM

Some other stuff Kishida accomplished!

Semiconductor policy has been extremely smart under his administration. Japan invited TSMC, built and started operating a fab in Kyushu in less than two years.

https://t.co/IBhVvjfdTf

[Marco Zappa @mrc_zappa]

@AsiaMaior1 @PugliesAsia Changes in Japan's foreign and security policy, immigration and the establishment of a government agency to support families are poised to be this administration's main legacy. https://t.co/bTyvfpzNe4

[Marco Zappa @mrc_zappa]

In a particularly unnurprising turn of events, Kishida bows out of the LDP presidential race. Never a popular leader, he's been consequential nonetheless 🧵 https://t.co/8gcImXlOaj

[Marco Zappa @mrc_zappa]

In our analysis on @AsiaMaior1, @PugliesAsia and I pointed to several factors that would bar Kishida from seeking re-election, among which LDP's kickback scandal of late 2013 and a general disaffection among voters