Into Asia

Chang Che

Hosted by journalist Chang Che and editor Ian Buruma, Into Asia explores how China, Japan, and Korea are reshaping the world. From memory politics to AI and demographic decline, they connect history and current affairs to reveal the new role Asia will play in the twenty-first century. Editing by Sydney Watson

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    China-maxxing: Why Young Americans are Rethinking China

    In November, the left-wing political commentator Hasan Piker took his first trip to China, live-streaming the trip to hundreds of thousands of viewers on the streaming platform Twitch. Hasan is a self-described socialist and a staunch critic of American capitalism, and he told me he had long wanted to see for himself how a Communist government ran a country. He wasn’t disappointed.  In this episode: Why Hasan sees China differently than liberals; growing up in TurkeyFirst impressions of China, Tiananmen flag-raising ceremonyThe incident where Hasan got stopped by security at TiananmenHasan’s thoughts on Chinese (and American) censorship Surprising similarities between America and ChinaHasan’s Chinese fan base and how the red pill pipeline is going globalWhat Hasan would advise a future Democratic president on China policy

    1h 8m

  2. FEB 5

    Inside Xi Jinping’s Military Crackdown

    China’s top generals are falling like flies, and at unprecedented speeds. As Xi Jinping dismantles the upper ranks of the People’s Liberation Army, questions are mounting about corruption, loyalty, and the stability of China’s political system. Neil Thomas, an expert on Chinese politics at Asia Society, unpacks the logic of Xi’s military crackdown. Neil's articles: https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/neil-thomas Follow him on X: https://x.com/neilthomas123?lang=en

    41 min

  3. JAN 28

    Drum Diplomacy: As Trump Sows Chaos Abroad, South Korea and Japan Edge Closer

    As Trump threatens the sovereignty of NATO allies, the leaders of South Korea and Japan appeared together in Nara, playing drums in a highly choreographed display of diplomatic comity. Ian and Chang talk about the historic significance of this unlikely rapprochement, why it is happening now, and the prospect of an East Asian security architecture without the help of the United States.

    36 min

  4. JAN 20

    The American Dream Is Fading. What Comes Next For China's Youths?

    Across the world, the promise of stable growth that underwrote many economies is unraveling. From Nepal to Bulgaria to Mexico, young people fed up with the status quo are rebelling. While many have turned to populists for help, China's youth are turning to a very different figure. The anthropologist Xiang Biao, who has become a voice for China's "lost" generation in recent years, speak to us about what went wrong with Chinese and Western elites, and his ideas for redefining politics. This conversation was recorded live in Tokyo. Related links:  Xiang's work on Zhejiang Village migrants: https://www.amazon.com/Transcending-Boundaries-Zhejiangcun-Migrant-Village/dp/9004142010 Xiang's writings:  https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-19-4953-1 https://www.readingthechinadream.com/xiang-biao-excerpts-from-self-as-method.html https://www.readingthechinadream.com/xiang-biao-hello-stranger.html

    1h 19m

  5. 12/18/2025

    Taiwan’s Forgotten Role in Japan’s War

    Lau Kek-huat is a Malaysian-born documentary filmmaker based in Taiwan. His latest film, From Island to Island, won the prestigious Golden Horse Award in 2024. The film examines the role of Taiwanese in Japan’s Pacific War and explores why memories of World War II diverge across the Chinese-speaking world.  Lau joins us to discuss his latest film and its differing reception across Asia. Follow his work, including his film at: https://reurl.cc/6bGRDr

    56 min

  6. 12/04/2025

    Japan’s New Leader Meets China’s Red Line

    Less than a month into Sanae Takaichi’s tenure as Japan's prime minister, she has already sparked a diplomatic crisis with Japan's powerful neighbor. Joining us is Tokujin Matsudaira, a constitutional-law professor at Kanagawa University who grew up in Taiwan. He has written extensively on Article 9, constitutional revision, and the diplomatic challenges that shape Japan–China relations. Related Links:  https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/takaichi-sanae-iron-lady-will-not-improve-gender-relations-japan-by-ian-buruma-2025-11

    42 min

  7. 11/26/2025

    Anti-Semitism and East Asia

    In the September 29, 2025, issue of The New Yorker, the writer Ian Buruma reviews two books that trace the uses and abuses of anti-semitism from late-19th century France to present-day US campus politics. Long before right-wing Israeli politicians to evoke the term to deflect criticism of the war in Gaza, anti-semitism reflected a persistent worldview: that a shadowy group of powerful Jews often stood behind the workings of a complicated world.  For over a century, that idea has found converts in East Asia. In this episode, Ian and I talk about how beliefs about Jewish power manifested in Chinese and Japanese life from the 20th century to the present. Related Links:  "The Uses and Abuses of Anti-Semitism" by Ian Buruma

    43 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    The Forces Shaping Asia's Low Birth Rates

    China, Japan, and South Korea are each confronting plummeting birthrates and  rapidly aging populations, each with worrying consequences for their economies, societies, and political futures. What makes East Asia’s demographic decline different from that of the West? As women entered the workforce in Asia, how did they define and discover freedom and fulfillment between the expectations of the family and the workplace? And in China, how has the one- and two-child policies—and the parallel tide of economic reforms—reshaped desires in marriage and child-bearing among young adults? Yun Zhou, a social demographer at the University of Michigan with a particular focus on family policy and gender in contemporary China, joins us.

    48 min

  9. 10/29/2025

    The Chinese Immigrants Behind Japan’s Populist Surge

    Japan's first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, a hard-line conservative, rose to power on promises of national renewal and a “Japan First” agenda. Her rise follows the stunning breakthrough of the Sanseito, a Trump-style populist party that captured 14 seats in the upper house this summer, drawing support from disaffected youth and social-media activists. Takehiro Masutomo, author of Runri: Tracking the Mass Exodus of Wealthy Chinese to Japan, talks about the Chinese immigrants behind Japan's right-wing turn. Maustomo's book is on Amazon (Japanese version only) Masutomo's podcast Asia Frontline

    34 min

  10. 10/21/2025

    Inside China's AI Boom

    From Shanghai’s World AI Conference to start-up incubators across the city, the Chinese tech analyst Rui Ma shares what she’s seeing on the ground, and where China actually stands in the global AI race. Follow Rui on X: https://x.com/ruima Follow her newsletter via Tech Buzz China (Substack): https://techbuzzchina.substack.com Related Links:  https://techbuzzchina.substack.com/p/china-deep-tech-trip-what-we-did

    39 min

  11. 10/13/2025

    How China Remembers World War II

    In September, China staged a boisterous military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II. The spectacle is part of a broader campaign in recent years, from museums openings, movies, and memorials, to elevate its role in what it calls the “victory over fascism.” How accurate is China’s official narrative of WWII — and what political purpose does it serve? How does it differ from the way Japan, the aggressor nation, or Europe and the U.S., the allies, remember the war? Rana Mitter, historian and S.T. Lee Chair in U.S.–Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School, joins us. See also Face-Off with Jane Perlez and Rana Mitter: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XnPbxcS20PCgamDoEmEba

    53 min
  • 11 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Hosted by journalist Chang Che and editor Ian Buruma, Into Asia explores how China, Japan, and Korea are reshaping the world. From memory politics to AI and demographic decline, they connect history and current affairs to reveal the new role Asia will play in the twenty-first century. Editing by Sydney Watson

Information

  • Creator
    Chang Che
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Into Asia
  • Show Website
    Into Asia

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