About this episode
This episode features Dr. James D.J. Brown discussing his book on Russian espionage in Japan and its historical implications.
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. James D.J. Brown , Professor of Political Science at Temple University’s Japan Campus and one of the leading experts on Russo-Japanese relations. His research focuses on the history and geopolitics between Japan and Russia, including territorial disputes, diplomacy, and security issues in Northeast Asia. We discuss his new book, Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge . The book traces more than three centuries of Russian intelligence activity directed at Japan—from early explorers and castaways gathering information during the era of Japanese isolation, to the famous Soviet spy Richard Sorge and his network in Tokyo before World War II. Along the way, Brown reveals how espionage shaped the relationship between the two countries, how spies operated in one of the world’s most closed societies, and why Japan was often seen by Russian intelligence as a “crab”—hard on the outside but vulnerable once its shell was cracked. Links & Resources: Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge Japan, Russia and their Territorial Dispute: The Northern Delusion…
People in this episode
Guest: Dr. James D.J. Brown
Topics covered
- Russian espionage
- Japan-Russia relations
- geopolitics
- intelligence history
- territorial disputes
Keywords
- Russian spies
- Japan
- Richard Sorge
- espionage
- geopolitics
- territorial disputes
- history
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Temple University
Books & works: Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge
Places: Japan, Russia, Northeast Asia
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