Dr Ming Gao

Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Has to Be a Hard-Liner If she wins this week’s leadership vote, Sanae Takaichi’s ultranationalist agenda will stir up the region.

In Japan, promoting an “atypical” candidate to be prime minister, like a hard-line woman, serves the ruling party’s immediate need to project an image of change and ideological steadfastness simultaneously, argues Ming Gao.

Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Has to Be a Hard-Liner If she wins this week’s leadership vote, Sanae Takaichi’s ultranationalist agenda will stir up the region.

Honored to have an invited article in @foreignpolicy.com on Japan’s potential first woman PM, set against wider debates on gender, politics, and conservatism in Japan and beyond.

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foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/02/s...

日本人が海外でおこなう「児童性的搾取」の実態─韓国と並ぶ「主要な加害者」 | 海外での買春を「自慢」する人々 国をまたいだ児童買春は蔓延しているものの、取り締まるのは容易ではない。最近の日本政府による異例の対応を機に、日本人による海外での性的搾取の状況や、こ…

本当に恥ずかしい…というか、申し訳ない。韓国もなのか。日本の悪い影響のような気がする。

日本人が海外でおこなう「児童性的搾取」の実態─韓国と並ぶ「主要な加害者」 | クーリエ・ジャポン　courrier.jp/news/archive...

A Historical Reconstruction of the Changing Relationship between Fores This chapter explores the relationship between people and forests during Japan's Tokugawa period, focusing on Hirosaki domain in northern Honshu, known for its

A Historical Reconstruction of the Changing Relationship between Forests and People in Japan By Masahito Kayaba Contributed By Ming Gao

www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...

Japan’s problem with women’s equality is getting worse, not better The country recently pulled out of the UN’s gender equality committee over its refusal to change the male-only royal succession.

The country recently pulled out of the UN’s gender equality committee over its refusal to change the male-only royal succession.

"Historian Ming Gao is the author of four of the ten most-read articles of the year by Lund University researchers. How has he managed to reach such a wide audience?"
And of course as always a big shoutout to Ellen Albertsdóttir for her guidance 😇

www.staff.lu.se/article/almo...

日本人の児童買春ツアーに外務省が異例の警告 ＜在ラオス日本大使館が日本人男性の児童買春ツアーに警告を発した。国内外で驚くべき変容を遂げるセックスツーリズム摘発の第一歩だ＞ 日本の外務省と在ラオス日本大使館は、日本人男性がラオスで「児童買春」を行...

日本人の児童買春ツアーに外務省が異例の警告 @newsweekjapan.bsky.social

www.newsweekjapan.jp/stories/worl...

Asian Angle | Japan’s child sex tourism warning is long overdue The advisory issued by Japan’s embassy in Laos shows grass-roots activism against transnational exploitation can force institutional action.

Pleased to see my piece appear as an op-ed in South China Morning Post SCMP, very grateful for the wider readership.

sc.mp/lfwzj

What will it take for China to arrest its declining birth rate? China’s government steps in to address dwindling birth rates, following years of leaving the issue to local authorities.

China’s government steps in to address dwindling birth rates, following years of leaving the issue to local authorities.

Thai-Cambodian Tensions: For Thailand, Appeasement Will Not Hold the Line | FULCRUM In seeking to defuse tensions with Cambodia over a border dispute, Thai premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra has scored an own goal. Thailand now faces an uphill climb in resolving the dispute.

fulcrum.sg/thai-cambodi...

The most insightful I've read (in English) on the recent events of the Thai-Cambodia border dispute.

Volume estimates for unions of convex sets, and the Kakeya set conjecture in three dimensions We study sets of $δ$ tubes in $\mathbb{R}^3$, with the property that not too many tubes can be contained inside a common convex set $V$. We show that the union of tubes from such a set must have almos...

I am happy to announce that the Kakeya set conjecture, one of the most sought after open problems in geometric measure theory, has now been proven (in three dimensions) by Hong Wang and Joshua Zahl! arxiv.org/abs/2502.17655 I discuss some ideas of the proof at terrytao.wordpress.com/2025/02/25/t...

Lee Jae-myung Takes Over a Country Split by Gender Politics Though Lee attempted to sideline the issue during the campaign, gender conflict has continued, subtly but powerfully, to shape voter behavior in South Korea.

Lee Jae-myung Takes Over a Country Split by Gender Politics
thediplomat.com/2025/06/lee-...

Soaring rice prices are stirring political trouble in Japan – history shows this often leads to a change of government The Japanese government’s approval ratings are dropping fast ahead of elections in July.

The Japanese government’s approval ratings are dropping fast ahead of elections in July.

A short piece "The History of Objectifying Women: From Opium Use in the Japanese Empire to Contemporary Advertising" in the Australian Women’s History Network’s VIDA blog. Many thanks indeed🫡

Mary Bennett Prize | Australian Women's History Network The Mary Bennett Prize for Women’s History is awarded every two years by the Australian Women’s History Network to an early career historian for the best article or chapter in any field of women’s his...

In this blog, @mgao.bsky.social shares research from his recent journal article in the Asian Studies Review.

The Australian Women's History Network awarded this journal article Highly Commended in the 2024 Mary Bennett Prize for Women’s History:

www.auswhn.com.au/prizes/mary-...

The History of Objectifying Women: From Opium Use in the Japanese Empire to Contemporary Advertising | Australian Women's History Network In this blog Ming Gao explores the long history of the sexualisation and objectification of women through advertising.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

@mgao.bsky.social explores the long history of the sexualisation and objectification of women in the Japanese Empire through advertising.

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/the-his...

How Trump is prompting China to change its relationship with the world The breakdown of relations between China and the US has prompted Beijing to shore up existing friendships, and seek new ones.

The breakdown of relations between China and the US has prompted Beijing to shore up existing friendships, and seek new ones.

Indeed, Sweden's shift toward gender-equal succession serves as an excellent example. My latest in @thediplomat.com

ANU Press New release Cover image of Lilith: A Feminist History Journal: Number 30

The new issue of 'Lilith' is out now!

With articles showcasing the desire to honour and celebrate the joy, laughter, struggle, resilience and survival of women and gender-diverse people of different races and cultures worldwide, this issue is not to be missed!

FREE: doi.org/10.22459/LFH...

thanks for posting my piece @thediplomat.com

China’s dwindling marriage rate is fuelling demand for brides trafficked from abroad Bride trafficking has emerged as a growing issue in China as ‘leftover’ men struggle to find spouses.

Bride trafficking has emerged as a growing issue in China as ‘leftover’ men struggle to find spouses.

Men’s concerns are real but backlash is not inevitable – the new rules guiding feminism Recognising that some men feel left behind doesn’t mean giving in to misogynists.

Men’s concerns are real but backlash is not inevitable – the new rules guiding feminism
theconversation.com/mens-concern...

Why you should revisit the classics, even if you were turned off them at school School can turn classic books into a chore. Rereading Eliot or Austen or Shakespeare as we grow older, we can see how we have grown as imaginative, moral beings.

Why you should revisit the classics, even if you were turned off them at school
theconversation.com/why-you-shou...

ANU Press Coming Soon. Cover image of: Lilith: A Feminist History Journal: Number 30

The articles in the upcoming issue of 'Lilith' range from African pottery, theology, poetry and Black women’s joy, Paris trans identity and cabaret theatre, First World Wartime cross-dressing and working girls’ clubs in Chicago.

Register today doi.org/10.22459/LFH...

Ne Zha 2: the record-breaking Chinese animated film showcases China’s ambition on the global stage Ne Zha has successfully created both an emotional and patriotic bond with Chinese audiences while boosting China’s cultural confidence.

Ne Zha has successfully created both an emotional and patriotic bond with Chinese audiences while boosting China’s cultural confidence.

‘Mum, what’s the meaning of life?’ How to talk about philosophy with little kids

Children are open and curious – and this makes them natural philosophers. There are 3 simple ways to step through a philosophical discussion.

What is the story of hongbao, the red envelopes given out at celebrations like Lunar New Year?

Red envelopes are a cherished cultural tradition in China and many other parts of Asia. Here’s where they come from – and their possible digital future.

“Comfort Women” – New Research from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia - The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus

This dialogue between Kevin Blackburn, Katharine McGregor, and Sachiyo Tsukamoto introduces the authors' recent books and highlights new research on Comfort Women from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan. apjjf.org/2024/5/black...

Commentary | Ming Gao, Historical Justice on Trial: The First Domestic Lawsuit by Chinese Comfort Women's Descendants Against Japan — Critical Asian Studies

Commentary | Ming Gao explains the background and significance of a recent lawsuit filed in China by 17 surviving Chinese "comfort women" against the Japanese government, noting it's potential for reinvigorating China's movement for comfort women's justice. criticalasianstudies.org/commentary/2...

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