Table of Content

25 February 2026, Volume 40 Issue 1

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“Threat Narrative” and U.S.-Japan-Philippines Intelligence Cooperation on the South China Sea Issue from the Perspective of “Asymmetric Alliances”

CAO Pengpeng

2026, 40(1):  1-12.  DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2026.01.001

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The South China Sea has become a focal point for major-power competition and regional security cooperation. In recent years, intelligence collaboration among the United States, Japan,and the Philippines in this region has accelerated and exhibited a trend of institutionalization. Based on the “asymmetric alliance theory”, this paper explores the threat narrative, major measures, potential impacts and corres ponding responses of thd trilateral intelligence cooperation among the three countries. Research reveals that the intelligence interaction among the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines exhibits a “dual-layer asymmetry”, characterized by an alliance structure where the U.S. leads, Japan assists, and the Philippines cooperates. Under this “asymmetric alliance” frmework, the three parties employ a meticulously crafted narrative of threats to frame the South China Sea issue as a “security challenge” requiring collective action, thereby providing a so-called legitimizing basis for their intelligence collaboration. The main measures of the trilateral intelligence cooperation in the South China Sea are reflected in intelligence working mechanisms and coordination, military and non-military integrated intelligence interactions, the deployment of intelligence technologies, as well as maritime situational awareness and joint military operations. The intensified intelligence cooperation among the U.S., Japan and the Philippines in the region has undoubtedly strengthened the deterrent effect of the U.S. alliance system and heightened tensions in the area, yet their strategic divergences and domestic political constraints have simultaneously restricted the stability of such cooperation.

The Competitive and Cooperative Game Logic of China-Japan Investment in ASEAN and Chinas Path to Breaking Through

MA Wenxiu, YANG Shengqing

2026, 40(1):  13-28.  DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2026.01.002

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In the geoeconomic landscape where major powers compete for ASEAN as a core arena, direct investment by China and Japan in ASEAN exhibits deep-seated asymmetric competitive and cooperative game characteristics. Japan leverages its historically accumulated investment stock, high-quality standards system, and “trust premium” to build its core advantages, while China forms a late-mover advantage through investment growth driven by the “Belt and Road” and its infrastructure capabilities. Through multi-dimensional analysis of the models of differentiated sequential game, evolutionary coordination game, and infinitely repeated game, it is found that Japan builds its sequential game dominance in the infrastructure sector using “high-quality” standards; in the institutional and rule-making field, it enhances the intrinsic value of rules through the CPTPP and strengthens network effects through the IPEF, relying on evolutionary coordination game to compete for risk advantages; and in emerging technology fields, it manipulates the core parameters of the infinitely repeated game through an “economic security guarantee” strategy. Chinas solution lies not in symmetrical confrontation, but in implementing asymmetric strategies: shifting from passive compliance to proactive bid creation, upgrading from project competition to ecosystem building, solidifying the foundation of trust with “patient capital”, and exploring limited pragmatic cooperation, ultimately reshaping the game landscape and strengthening Chinas strategic initiative and sustainability in ASEAN investment.

Research on the Formation and Countermeasures for Chinese Perceptions Among Japanese Adolescents

GUAN Xiulan

2026, 40(1):  29-41.  DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2026.01.003

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From a long-term perspective, the formation of Chinese perceptions in Japanese society belongs to the dual construction process of Japanese adolescents understanding of contemporary and historical China. From a regional and national perspective, investigating the causes and countermeasures behind Japanese adolescents construction of their perceptions of China holds highly significant and far-reaching implications for whether Japanese society can develop a sound understanding of China. Factors such as the school education system, mass media environment, political party discourse, and sociocultural atmosphere collectively shape Japanese adolescents perceptions of China across different dimensions. As the object of perception, China needs to conduct in-depth research on the mechanism of Chinese perception formation in Japanese society. It should follow the cognitive development patterns of adolescents, develop content production mechanisms aligned with these patterns, establish a multi-channel and multi-layered communication network, and design and implement differentiated intervention strategies for perception shaping. These efforts will assist Japanese adolescents in forming an accurate, objective, and comprehensive understanding of China.

Japans Youth Employment Policy from the Perspective of Policy Tools

WANG Mengyi, XIAO Yue

2026, 40(1):  42-56.  DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2026.01.004

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Employment is the foundation of peoples livelihood, and youth employment is a top priority for countries around the world. To adapt to the recent transformation of industrial structures and new circumstances in the youth labor market, the Japanese government has introduced a youth employment policy centered on the “Society in Which All 100 Million People Can Play an Active Role” initiative as the core stimulus for youth employment. Drawing on policy tools theory, this study constructs a two-dimensional analytical framework of “policy tools-policy goals” and conducts a textual analysis of 128 youth employment policy documents issued between 2020 and 2025 by the central government and by prefectural governments in Japan. The findings indicate that Japans youth employment policies have provided a certain degree of support in addressing the current difficulties faced by young people in the labor market, while also revealing clear governmental preferences in the selection of policy goals and the use of policy tools. Overall, Japans youth employment policy tends more toward “adjustment” aimed at addressing pressing, short-term problems than toward “transformation” designed to facilitate industrial upgrading and structural change.

Coping with the Dilemma of Japanese Higher Education under the Background of Declining Birth Rates: Policy Objectives and Implementation Path

WANG Baozhi, BAI Xuewei

2026, 40(1):  57-67.  DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2026.01.005

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As one of the earliest countries to enter a low birth rate society, Japan has conducted long-term exploration and practice in responding to demographic changes in higher education. Confronted with multiple challenges, including shrinking student populations,regional development disparities, and market imbalances, Japan implemented comprehensive reforms focused on quality enhancement, equitable opportunities, and optimized scale. Through coordinated efforts in curriculum design,resource allocation,student management,and international expansion, the country has established a holistic governance framework to mitigate the impacts of low birth rates.

Family Education and Its Shift in the New Education Movement in Japan: Focusing on the Educational Practices of Haruko Hatoyama

ZHANG Hongming, CUI Xueyan

2026, 40(1):  68-68.  DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2026.01.006

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During the Taisho period in Japan, the rise of the “New Education Movement” shifted the focus toward the formation of childrens personality and individual development. Consequently, families of the new middle class gradually established a “childcentered” educational philosophy. However, the ascent of nationalism during the Showa era interrupted this progression. Through ordinances such as the National School Order and the Instructions for Promoting Family Education, the government integrated family education into an ideological control network centered on “loyalty to the Emperor and patriotism.”The author introduces Bourdieus Theory of Cultural Capital and Foucaults Theory of Disciplinary Power to explain this “pivot”—namely, the dual nature of education: it serves both as a pathway for individual development and as a mechanism for discipline. The struggle between the liberal New Education Movement and the manipulation of nationalist ideology vividly demonstrates this characteristic.