Mike Bosack

End of U.S.-Russia nuclear pact raises fears of unchecked arms race The shift is also expected to impact Japan and a debate over revising its three nonnuclear principles.

"The treaty’s lapse removes taboos from certain policy debates, including those surrounding Japan’s three non-nuclear principles."

My comments on the expiration of New START in the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02...

A cheat sheet to Takaichi’s snap election Parties with traditional vote-generating architectures in place before Japan's snap election have a significant advantage.

Want to know what to make of Japan's forthcoming snap election?

Here's my scene setter via @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

What to expect if Seoul revives the moribund military pact with North Korea | NK PRO Two years after its functional demise, the inter-Korean military pact that aimed to reduce border tensions could soon return to life, if only in part. In response to North Korea’s latest allegations o...

What does it mean if the Lee Jae Myung administration tries to reimplement the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement (also known as the "Comprehensive Military Agreement")?

Having lived through the rise & fall of the CMA, I offer insight via @nknewsorg.bsky.social ⬇️
www.nknews.org/pro/what-to-...

Japan’s new ‘Centrist Reform Alliance’ is a misnomer The Centrist Reform Alliance is asking voters to embrace a brand label rather than a fully formed policy platform and a partnership of convenience.

Japan's forthcoming election is shaping up to be a battle between the ruling LDP-Nippon Ishin no Kai coalition and the newly formed "Centrist Reform Alliance."

What is the Centrist Reform Alliance? I answer that question here⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

The Elementary Rules of Leadership As an academic, military officer, and civilian, Michael Bosack has led and worked with groups from all over the world. Through his experiences across the globe, he discovered fundamental rules of lea...

"As a leader, your organization will reflect your work ethic, your behavior, and your values whether you like it or not."

When I gave this TED Talk nearly eight years ago, I hoped that my points would still resonate years later.

I think they do.
www.ted.com/talks/michae...

This morning, North Korean state media provided insights into the mechanics behind preparations for the 9th Party Congress. This not only gives insight into the timing of this event, but helps us understand how and why the DPRK operates the way it does.

My brief analysis here⬇️

Whether the White House intends it or not, the gambit for Greenland will influence the Kremlin's negotiating strategy for Ukraine.

What kind of influence will it have?

I explain in my latest for the @kyivpost.com ⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/68346

The only *durable* way to counter gray-zone activities & violations of int'l laws, rules and norms is to identify illicit activities & respond in ways that are compliant with int'l standards.

Emphasis on "durable."

My comments via @IPDefenseForum⬇️
ipdefenseforum.com/2026/01/japa...

My analysis of the second Kim Yo Jong-attributed statement related to North Korea's drone allegations against the South⬇️

Why Takaichi would call a snap election Takaichi may dissolving the Lower House of the parliament upon its mandatory convocation later this month, which would prompt a general election sometime in February.

The whispers about Sanae Takaichi dissolving the Lower House are now discussions between the prime minister and ruling party executives.

But why would Takaichi call a snap election now?

I answer that question via the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

How North Korea will control battle-tested troops returning from the Ukraine war | NK PRO North Korea has repeatedly heralded the Korean People’s Army (KPA) troops deployed to Russia to fight against Ukraine, with leader Kim Jong Un joining ceremonies to welcome those who return home and s...

What happens to (North) Korean People's Army soldiers when they return from the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine War?

Under the DPRK's system of governance, there isn't a straightforward answer for the Kim Jong Un regime.

I offer insight in my latest for NK News⬇️ www.nknews.org/pro/how-nort...

What should we make of the Coalition of the Willing security guarantees?

BLUF: Excellent in principle, but hinges on political will being converted into binding commitments & sustained resourcing amidst Russian recalcitrance.

More here via the @kyivpost.com ⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/67682

Takaichi’s political landscape for 2026 Unlike her predecessors who were consistently forced to address turmoil over the past two years, Prime Minister Takaichi will have time and capital to tackle real policy issues.

What does the political landscape look like for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in 2026?

I answer that question via the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

How North Korea Responded to the US Gambit in Venezuela Pyongyang was slow in issuing a relatively tempered statement, but also turned a missile launch event into a tool for deterrence signaling.

How has North Korea responded to the Maduro raid?

I offer insight into the DPRK's reaction to the U.S. gambit in Venezuela in my latest for the @thediplomat.com ⬇️
thediplomat.com/2026/01/how-...

The alleged drone attack on Putin's residence illustrates the importance of third party monitoring & verification in peace processes.

As dubious as the Kremlin's claim sounds, it will always be one side's word against the other until a third party conducts its own fact finding.

Why Seoul’s push for greater control over DMZ risks more than it promises | NK PRO The frustration of some South Korean government officials with administration of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) has spilled into the open, even prompting a rare U.N. Command (UNC) press statement on the...

What is the status of the Korean DMZ? Who is responsible for its administration, and how does North Korea treat this buffer zone?

In my inaugural piece for NK News, I cut through the politics to offer a practical understanding of the DMZ as it exists today⬇️
www.nknews.org/pro/why-seou...

It called to us...a taste of our former home. 네네치킨 is bite-sized nostalgia.

Japan’s growing bear crisis reveals deeper issues Currently, there are only around 220,000 licensed hunters in Japan, substantially lower than the 532,265 registered in 1970.

Japan's biggest threat to its populace in 2025 wasn't missiles or foreign invasions, it was bears.

The battle with the bears was notable in its own right, but it revealed deeper issues that present further challenges going forward.

More from me on this issue ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

What is Happening to North Korea’s Jangmadang Free Markets? Will the Kim regime be successful in uprooting this core element of North Korea’s black market economy?

What is happening to the black markets in North Korea?

In my latest for The Diplomat, I explain the origin and importance of the jangmadang free markets before detailing what the Kim Jong Un regime has done since COVID to uproot them.

Read more here⬇️
thediplomat.com/2025/12/what...

China’s recklessness risks a security crisis with Japan China’s normalization of reckless and bullying behavior presents major risks to peace and security.

It does not take much to trigger a security crisis between countries.

China nearly got one with Japan owing to the reckless behavior of its forces. Beijing's bad-faith behavior requires Tokyo & its partners to show solidarity.

I explain via the Japan Times⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

Leaving this here: not even Kim Jong Un named his navy's new class of vessels after himself.

(Left) Trump-class "battleship"

(Right) Choe Hyon-class destroyer

What will Japan’s planned intelligence bureau look like? Ultimately, this is an evolutionary measure that seeks to break down government intelligence silos and improve the information being provided to the highest levels of government.

Want to know more about #Japan's planned "National Intelligence Bureau?"

I lay it out--the background, the proposal, and the challenges for implementation--via the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

With #NorthKorea's 9th Party Congress forthcoming, I'll be posting information to help make sense of this important event.

Day 1:
• What is a "Party Congress" in North Korea?
• Plenum vs. Congress vs. Conference

If you find this content useful, please like, follow, & share!

The six fears associated with North Korean nukes What are the fears that drive policies towards North Korean denuclearization? Understanding these fears is essential for developing policy designs and approaches to negotiation with the Kim Jong Un re...

As a #negotiator, whenever someone asked me what should be done about #NorthKorea’s nuclear weapons program, my first question to them was, “What is your biggest fear about #DPRK nukes?”

I explain why in my latest for Parley Policy⬇️ www.parleypolicy.com/post/the-six...

Lee Jae-myung’s Latest Policy Signals to North Korea Lee has downgraded “denuclearization” as a goal. Will it be enough to attract interest from Pyongyang?

What should we make of #LeeJaeMyung's 2 December policy pronouncement on #NorthKorea & inter-Korean initiatives?

I answer that question in my latest for The Diplomat ⬇️
thediplomat.com/2025/12/lee-...

On leaving the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission The time has come: six and a quarter years after starting my work as the Deputy Secretary of the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC), I now say farewell to my teammates and t...

📣Announcement:
I find it fitting that my ceremonial last day with the UN Command Military Armistice Commission falls on Veteran's Day/Armistice Day. Here, I share my thoughts about the past 6 years in Korea and offer insight into what comes next for me⬇️
www.linkedin.com/pulse/leavin...

What can Japan do in a Taiwan-China clash? In the “two-plus-two” meeting that took place last week, the Japanese and U.S. governments unequivocally called out China, highlighting the country's unilateral and unlawful attempts to change the sta...

PM Sanae #Takaichi made headlines when she mentioned that #Japan could declare a "Survival Threatening Situation" in the event of a #Taiwan contingency.

What does that mean?

Here's an evergreen explainer I wrote a while back to make sense of it all:
www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2021...

Ox walking, heckling and other strange Diet practices Understanding Japanese politics, as with many things in Japanese society, is often an exercise of scratching beneath the surface to discover the true meaning.

There has been some media attention on the fact that newly minted PM #Takaichi has been heckled during her #Diet addresses.

I'm no fan of the practice, but it's commonplace, along with a few other odd behaviors.

I explained more in an evergreen piece here ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2020...

Not every day you have to rescue a feral #kitten from a ditch, but the poor thing was trapped under a heap of chaff and crying out for help.

Took a little while to get the burrs and brambles off, but he's right as rain now and back home with his litter.

Japan’s demining deployment is a security milestone This deployment is the latest in demining support that Japan has delivered to Ukraine since Russia’s full scale invasion began in February 2022.

At first glance, deploying 2 people for a 1 month training mission doesn't seem like a big deal.

However, the SDF's participation in the #demining capability #coalition for #Ukraine is another milestone in #Japan's evolving security practice.

More here⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...