Professor Takamasa Fujioka, Director of the Sasin Japan Center and Associate Dean at Meiji Professional Graduate School, Tokyo, recently published an essay in the September 7^th issue of Weekly Toyo Keizai. The essay, available in both print and online, focuses on Thailand’s role within the Global South. As geopolitical tensions rise between the Western bloc, led by the United States, and the Eastern bloc, including Russia and China, the Global South has gained significant attention. Professor Fujioka defines the Global South as emerging countries such as India, Brazil, Thailand, and South Africa, which predominantly lie in the Southern Hemisphere, in contrast to developed nations in the North. These countries often adopt a neutral stance, trading with both sides and, at times, leveraging an “opportunistic advantage”—a concept akin to the Chinese proverb “two dogs fight for a bone, but a third runs away with it.” In his essay, Professor Fujioka explores what Japan can learn from the Global South’s balanced approach in a divided world. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ESSAY IN JAPANESE Weekly Toyo Keizai, established in 1895, is Japan’s oldest weekly magazine and is respected for its comprehensive economic analysis, particularly among executives and decision-makers.