Showing papers on "East Asia published in 2021"

Genomic insights into the formation of human populations in East Asia

Abstract: The deep population history of East Asia remains poorly understood owing to a lack of ancient DNA data and sparse sampling of present-day people1,2. Here we report genome-wide data from 166 East Asian individuals dating to between 6000 bc and ad 1000 and 46 present-day groups. Hunter-gatherers from Japan, the Amur River Basin, and people of Neolithic and Iron Age Taiwan and the Tibetan Plateau are linked by a deeply splitting lineage that probably reflects a coastal migration during the Late Pleistocene epoch. We also follow expansions during the subsequent Holocene epoch from four regions. First, hunter-gatherers from Mongolia and the Amur River Basin have ancestry shared by individuals who speak Mongolic and Tungusic languages, but do not carry ancestry characteristic of farmers from the West Liao River region (around 3000 bc), which contradicts theories that the expansion of these farmers spread the Mongolic and Tungusic proto-languages. Second, farmers from the Yellow River Basin (around 3000 bc) probably spread Sino-Tibetan languages, as their ancestry dispersed both to Tibet—where it forms approximately 84% of the gene pool in some groups—and to the Central Plain, where it has contributed around 59–84% to modern Han Chinese groups. Third, people from Taiwan from around 1300 bc to ad 800 derived approximately 75% of their ancestry from a lineage that is widespread in modern individuals who speak Austronesian, Tai–Kadai and Austroasiatic languages, and that we hypothesize derives from farmers of the Yangtze River Valley. Ancient people from Taiwan also derived about 25% of their ancestry from a northern lineage that is related to, but different from, farmers of the Yellow River Basin, which suggests an additional north-to-south expansion. Fourth, ancestry from Yamnaya Steppe pastoralists arrived in western Mongolia after around 3000 bc but was displaced by previously established lineages even while it persisted in western China, as would be expected if this ancestry was associated with the spread of proto-Tocharian Indo-European languages. Two later gene flows affected western Mongolia: migrants after around 2000 bc with Yamnaya and European farmer ancestry, and episodic influences of later groups with ancestry from Turan. Genome-wide data from 166 East Asian individuals dating to between 6000 bc and ad 1000 and from 46 present-day groups provide insights into the histories of mixture and migration of human populations in East Asia.

Shadow Education in Europe: Growing Prevalence, Underlying Forces, and Policy Implications:

Abstract: Purpose:Private supplementary tutoring, widely known as shadow education, has long been visible in East Asia, and now has spread to other parts of the world including Europe. This article maps the ...

Triangulation supports agricultural spread of the Transeurasian languages.

Abstract: The origin and early dispersal of speakers of Transeurasian languages—that is, Japanese, Korean, Tungusic, Mongolic and Turkic—is among the most disputed issues of Eurasian population history1–3. A key problem is the relationship between linguistic dispersals, agricultural expansions and population movements4,5. Here we address this question by ‘triangulating’ genetics, archaeology and linguistics in a unified perspective. We report wide-ranging datasets from these disciplines, including a comprehensive Transeurasian agropastoral and basic vocabulary; an archaeological database of 255 Neolithic–Bronze Age sites from Northeast Asia; and a collection of ancient genomes from Korea, the Ryukyu islands and early cereal farmers in Japan, complementing previously published genomes from East Asia. Challenging the traditional ‘pastoralist hypothesis’6–8, we show that the common ancestry and primary dispersals of Transeurasian languages can be traced back to the first farmers moving across Northeast Asia from the Early Neolithic onwards, but that this shared heritage has been masked by extensive cultural interaction since the Bronze Age. As well as marking considerable progress in the three individual disciplines, by combining their converging evidence we show that the early spread of Transeurasian speakers was driven by agriculture. A ‘triangulation’ approach combining linguistics, archaeology and genetics suggests that the origin and spread of Transeurasian family of languages can be traced back to early millet farmers in Neolithic North East Asia.

Evaluation and comparison of CMIP6 and CMIP5 model performance in simulating the seasonal extreme precipitation in the Western North Pacific and East Asia

Abstract: This study evaluates the performance of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phases 6 models (CMIP6) in simulating the seasonal evolution and extreme precipitation indices in the western North Pacific and East Asia region (WNP-EA), and compare the results with those from CMIP Phases 5 (CMIP5). In the ensemble of CMIP6 models, the seasonal evolution simulation demonstrates improvements in seasonal northward migration of the rain band from spring to summer and more intense precipitation, resulting in a higher skill score in the CMIP6 ensemble than the CMIP5 one. In general, the skill scores for the spatial pattern of simple daily intensity (SDII), total rainfall occurrence (Totfq), and consecutive dry days (CDD) are higher than those of extreme precipitation intensity (R99p). The CMIP6 ensemble mostly gains higher skill scores for extreme precipitation indices in the wet season. However, the improvement is limited in extreme indices during spring and fall. The probability distributions for maximum 1-day precipitation (RX1day), maximum 5-day precipitation (RX5day), and R99p in the CMIP6 models demonstrate a more realistic shape and stronger intensity, indicating the improvement over the CMIP5 models. However, the biased distributions of the overestimated (underestimated) occurrence for lighter (heavier) SDII and shorter (longer) duration CDD cases remain as a problem in CMIP6 model simulations. The higher skill scores for the spatial pattern of SDII, Totfq, and CDD are likely due to the compensation between the biased distributions mentioned above, implying further improvements are needed for correcting the deficiency in simulating the precipitation occurrence.

Orographic evolution of northern Tibet shaped vegetation and plant diversity in eastern Asia

Abstract: The growth of the Tibetan Plateau throughout the past 66 million years has profoundly affected the Asian climate, but how this unparalleled orogenesis might have driven vegetation and plant diversity changes in eastern Asia is poorly understood. We approach this question by integrating modeling results and fossil data. We show that growth of north and northeastern Tibet affects vegetation and, crucially, plant diversity in eastern Asia by altering the monsoon system. This northern Tibetan orographic change induces a precipitation increase, especially in the dry (winter) season, resulting in a transition from deciduous broadleaf vegetation to evergreen broadleaf vegetation and plant diversity increases across southeastern Asia. Further quantifying the complexity of Tibetan orographic change is critical for understanding the finer details of Asian vegetation and plant diversity evolution.

Sandstorms and desertification in Mongolia, an example of future climate events: a review.

Abstract: As global temperatures continue to increase and human activities continue to expand, many countries and regions are witnessing the consequences of global climate change. Mongolia, a nomadic and picturesque landlocked country, has battled with ongoing desertification, recurring droughts, and increasingly frequent sandstorms in recent decades. Here we review the abrupt changes in the climate regime of Mongolia over the recent few decades, by focusing on atmospheric events, land degradation and desertification issues, and the resulted sandstorms. We found that between mid-March to mid-April 2021, the country encountered violent gusts of wind, the Mongolia cyclone, and the largest sandstorms in a decade, causing extensive damages nationwide and trans-regional impact in East Asia including northern China, Japan, and most parts of South Korea. A multitude of factors have contributed to this current ecological crisis. Since 1992, the country has transformed to a market economy with high economic growth driven by mineral and agricultural exports. Overgrazing along with intensified human activities such as coal mining has contributed to the widespread land degradation in Mongolia, while climate change has become a major driving factor for recurring droughts. Annual mean air temperature in Mongolia increased by 2.24 °C between 1940 and 2015, while annual precipitation decreased by 7%, resulting in a higher aridity across the country. A positive feedback loop between soil moisture deficits and surface warming has led to a hotter and drier climate in the region, with over a quarter of lakes greater than 1.0-km2 dried up in the Mongolian Plateau between 1987 and 2010. Increased temperatures, decreased precipitation coupled with land degradation have resulted in a persisting drying trend, with more than three-quarters of land in Mongolia being affected by drought and desertification. The 2021 East Asia sandstorms drew international attention to ecological issues that have culminated for decades in Mongolia. Collaborative efforts from policy makers, local residents, and scientists from both its local and the global research community are urgently needed to address the grand and rapidly aggravating ecological challenges in Mongolia.

The Russia–China entente and its future

Abstract: The ‘strategic partnership’ between Moscow and Beijing is already more than two decades old and continues to evolve toward more consolidation, a trend which the coronavirus pandemic will only serve to accelerate. Its current state can be characterized as a quasi-alliance, or entente. The article first examines the Russia–China cooperation in the two most crucial areas—geo-economic and military. Then, it asks the question whether Moscow and Beijing could be on the verge of forming an alliance. The article proceeds to analyze the Russian–Chinese interaction in the areas of Eurasia where both of them have significant stakes and intersecting interests: East Asia, the post-Soviet space (with the focus on Central Asia), and the Arctic. Finally, the author draws up several scenarios envisioning the future of the Sino-Russian relationship.

Temporal trend of gastric cancer burden along with its risk factors in China from 1990 to 2019, and projections until 2030: comparison with Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia

Abstract: Identifying and projecting the epidemiological burden of gastric cancer (GC) can optimize the control strategies, especially in high-burden areas. We collected incidence, deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) of GC from 1990 to 2019 in China, Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated to quantify the temporal trends, and the projection was estimated by applying the Bayesian age-period-cohort model. In China, the ASIR of GC declined slightly from 37.56/100000 in 1990 to 30.64/100000 in 2019 (AAPC of − 0.41), while the declines of ASMR and ASDR were pronounced (AAPC of − 1.68 and − 1.98, respectively), which were weaker than Japan and South Korea. Although the age-standardized rates of gastric cancer in most countries have declined overall in the past 30 years, the downward trend in the last 4 years has become flattened. Smoking remained one main contributor to DALYs of GC in China, Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia, with more than 24%. The contribution from high-sodium diet was similar between men and women, and kept relatively stable over the three decades. The predicted ASMRs among the four East Asian countries continued to decline until 2030, but the absolute deaths would still increase significantly, especially in South Korea and Mongolia. Although the age-standardized rates of GC in most countries have declined, the absolute burden of GC in the world, especially in China and Mongolia, is on the rise gradually. Low socio-demographic index and aging along with Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking, and high-salt diet were the main risk factors of GC occurrence and should be paid more attention.

Economic statecraft at the frontier: Korea’s drive for intelligent robotics

Abstract: East Asian countries come most to mind when considering the role of governmental institutions in the contemporary economy. Specifically, it is widely assumed that the openness of economies, the mat...

COVID-19 crisis and challenges for graduate employment in graduate employment in Taiwan, Mainland China and East Asia: a critical review of skills preparing students for uncertain futures

Abstract: Graduate employment and unemployment or underemployment are becoming increasingly important issues confronting not only global higher education research but also social and political debates in con...

Impact of environmental quality, real exchange rate and institutional performance on tourism receipts in East-Asia and Pacific region

Abstract: This study attempts to explore the impact of environmental quality, real exchange rate and institutional performance on tourism receipts in East-Asia and Pacific region. A new methodology dynamic c...

Recent nationwide climate change impact assessments of natural hazards in Japan and East Asia

Abstract: Climate change due to global warming is expected to have major impacts on phenomena such as tropical cyclones (TCs), Baiu, precipitation, and seasonal storms. Many natural disasters in East Asia are driven by TC (typhoon) activity in particular and their associated hazards are sensitive to local-scale characteristics. As such, it is critically important to numerically simulate TC activity (and other phenomenon) on local scales in order to properly assess climate change impacts on natural hazards in the region. In addition, projecting future changes of many TC-related hazards and/or their potential economic impacts can be challenging due to their low occurrence frequencies in any one particular area. With these views in mind, a collaborative research program was formed in Japan to project long-term changes in natural hazards in Japan and East Asia based on local-scale and large-ensemble numerical experiments. This paper reviews recent climate change impact assessments (written in both English and Japanese) from the program and summarizes the projected future changes in precipitation, river flooding, and coastal hazards, and their associated economic impacts.

Democratic regression in Asia: introduction

Abstract: Given Asia-Pacific’s diversity and the large variance of potentially relevant causal factors, the region presents social scientists with a natural laboratory to test competing theories of democrati...

Successful Aging in East Asia: Comparison Among China, Korea, and Japan

Abstract: Objectives Heterogeneity in successful aging has been found across countries. Yet, comparable evidence is sparse except in North America and Europe. Extending prior research, this study examined the prevalence and correlates of successful aging in East Asian: China, Korea, and Japan. Method We used harmonized datasets from national surveys. A total of 6,479 participants (aged between 65 and 75) were analyzed. Using Rowe and Kahn's (1987, 1997) model, successful aging was defined as having no major diseases, no difficulty performing activities of daily living, obtaining a median or higher score on tests of cognitive function, and being actively engaged. Results The average prevalence of successful agers was 17.6%. There were variations in the global and specific measures of successful aging within and across countries, even after controlling for individual sociodemographic factors (age, gender, and education). The odds of aging successfully was highest in Japan and lowest in China, especially in the rural areas. Being younger and males were associated with a higher likelihood of successful agers in both global and specific measures. Discussion This study observed heterogeneity in successful aging in East Asia. To identify policy implications, future research should explore potential societal factors influencing individuals' opportunities for successful aging.

Recent trends in the Chinese family: National estimates from 1990 to 2010

Abstract: Background: Family in China has experienced drastic changes in the past decades. Yet we have limited knowledge of the trends and patterns of the Chinese family in transition. Objective: This study provides a systematic documentation of the Chinese family in transition by estimating a variety of indicators of marital and fertility behaviors in China, including the singlehood rate, first marriage age, cohabitation rate, divorce rate, and nonmarital childbirth rate. Methods: We analyze data from the 1990, 2000, and 2010 China Censuses, the 2005 1% China Population Inter-Census Surveys, and the 2010‒2016 China Family Panel Studies. Results: The results indicate trends of delays in first marriage age and increases in premarital cohabitation in China. Despite below-replacement fertility, childlessness remains rare among married Chinese couples. In addition, almost all children are born and raised within marriage, with a virtual absence of nonmarital childbearing in China. Although we observe a slight increase in divorce across cohorts, the divorce rate within 10 years in China was much lower than in other East Asian societies. Conclusions: Our research suggests both continuity and changes in marital and childbearing behaviors in China. The trajectory of family changes in China has not followed those in Western countries. Contribution: This article documents the most recent Chinese family changes and provides national estimates of family behaviors in China.

Technical efficiency comparison of container ports in Asian and Middle East region using DEA

Abstract: With the instigation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the strategic significance of South Asian and Middle Eastern ports have been vitalized. The aim of this study is to compare the technical efficiency of less explored South Asian & Middle Eastern ports with the East Asian ports and determine ways for their efficiency enhancement and management optimization. The cross sectional data for the year 2018 was collected for 15 container ports each of South & Middle Eastern and East Asian region and arranged into input and output variables. The data was analyzed through the DEA-CCR and DEA-BCC model. Results indicate that only one port each from UAE and India among the Middle & South Asian ports were found efficient on CCR model with the number of efficient ports on BCC model increased by 47%. While, in East Asian region two ports of China and one of South Korea were found efficient on CCR model, with 33% increase on BCC model. Lianyungang port was the most prominent among the efficient ports being highly benchmarked. The average efficiency for East Asian region (CCR: 0.524, BCC: 0.901) remained similar to that of South Asian and Middle East Region (CCR: 0.517, BCC: 0.906).

The Initial Upper Paleolithic in Central and East Asia: Blade Technology, Cultural Transmission, and Implications for Human Dispersals

Abstract: Archaeological assemblages labeled as Initial Upper Paleolithic are often seen as possible evidence for dispersals of Homo sapiens populations in Eurasia, ca. 45,000 years ago. While most authors agree that the IUP can be recognized by a set of shared features, there is far less consensus on what these features are, and what they mean. Because of methodological challenges inherent to long distance comparisons, documenting and establishing a firm connection between archaeological assemblages remain difficult and often draw legitimate skepticism. There could be many reasons why Paleolithic hunter-gatherers used comparable technologies, but it usually comes down to two kinds of processes: cultural transmission or convergence. In other words, technological similarities may illustrate a cultural link between regions or may be caused by mechanisms of independent reinvention between more distantly related populations. Here, I focus on three assemblages from the Siberian Altai, Zabaikal region, and North Mongolia to address one main question: is there such thing as a united IUP in Central and East Asia, or are we looking at unrelated yet comparable adaptive processes? First, I describe the common structure of lithic blade production at the sites, with special attention to derived features relative to the regional sequence. After comparing the complexity of the production system with those of other lithic technologies, I suggest that this coherent, intricate, yet unprecedented technological pattern found across contiguous regions in Asia is better explained by transmission processes than by multiple unrelated reinventions, or local developments. The blade production system described in Siberia and Mongolia reoccur as a package, which is consistent with indirect bias and/or conformist cultural transmission processes. Overall, the results point toward close contact between individuals and hunter gatherer populations, and supports the recognition of a broad cultural unit to encapsulate Asian IUP assemblages. Considering other lines of evidence, the geographical and chronological distribution of Asian IUP lithic technology is consistent with a dispersal of Homo sapiens populations in Central and East Asia during the Marine Isotopic Stage 3, although the geographical origin of such movement is less clear.

Evaluation and Projection of Regional Climate over East Asia in CORDEX-East Asia Phase I Experiment

Abstract: This study investigates the performance of simulated precipitation and estimates future changes in precipitation in CORDEX-East Asia Phase I. In the Historical experiment (1981–2005), a global climate model used as a lateral boundary condition does not realistically simulate the timing and intensity of the East Asian summer monsoon. Hence, it overestimates precipitation over East Asia. Generally, the results of the regional climate models also show similar bias characteristics to that of the large-scale forcing data. The individual biases of the regional climate model vary according to a model configuration, such as physical parameterization schemes. However, when bias correction is applied to data, the spatial variability and spatial correlation of the long-term mean precipitation become similar to the observations, and the annual cycle of precipitation is much improved. The two future experiments in the mid-twenty-first century period (2025–2049), show that mean and extreme precipitation amounts increase over the Korean Peninsula and northern China compared to the frequency of wet days. The increment of the low-level water vapor in all seasons can be attributed to the increased precipitation amounts; moreover, the East Asian summer monsoon is enhanced in mid-latitudes and lasts longer in summer owing to the strengthened western North Pacific Subtropical High. The increasing southerly wind from the East Asian summer monsoon over eastern China and the Korean Peninsula results in favorable conditions for the increase in precipitation.

Eccentricity forcing of East Asian monsoonal systems over the past 3 million years.

Abstract: The East Asian summer monsoon and the precipitation it brings are relevant for millions of people. Because of the monsoon's importance, there has been a substantial amount of work attempting to describe the driving mechanisms behind its past variability. However, discrepancies exist, with speleothem-based East Asian monsoon reconstructions differing from those based on loess records from the Chinese Loess Plateau during the late Quaternary. The periodicity of wet and dry phases experienced by desert areas that lie on the periphery of the East Asian monsoon's influence offer another independent view of monsoonal variability. Here, we provide environmental records based on magnetic parameters for the last 3 million years from the Tengger Desert, China, one such marginal arid region. Our results reveal wet-dry cycles at a dominant frequency of 405 kiloyears, with drier intervals corresponding to eccentricity minima. These findings are consistent with previous reconstructions of East Asian summer and North African summer monsoon precipitation variability. Our records emphasize the dominant role of eccentricity in forcing East Asian monsoonal precipitation as well as monsoonal-derived environmental fluctuations experienced in peripheral desert areas. These results challenge the traditional view that high-latitude ice sheets are the primary driver of East Asian monsoon precipitation during the Quaternary based on Chinese loess records.

Sustainability spillover effects and partnership between East Asia & Pacific versus North America: interactions of social, environment and economy.

Abstract: The three sustainability pillars of social, environment and economy were initially introduced by the United Nations in 2002, addressing major global sustainability issues including economic problems, income inequality, environmental pollution and social shortcomings. Comparing East Asia & Pacific with North America, there is a growing concern over economic, political and even social competition as a result of recent development and industrialization that is taking place in Asian countries. This might lead to an unhealthy conflict that favors regional independency as opposed to the current globalization and trade facilitation trend. As a result, this study aims to assess the effects of development in three main pillars of sustainability (social, environment and economy) in the East Asia and Pacific on that of North America and vice versa. To estimate this interactive or spillover effects of sustainable development (or sustainability elasticities), our research employs Econometric methodologies including Simultaneous Equations System, Vector AutoRegressive (VAR) and Granger Causality approaches during 1971-2016. The results show that most of the sustainability elasticities are positive between and inside the two regions, supporting the synergetic character of the sustainability spillover effects and confirming constructive role of globalization and openness in the sustainability progress. Based on the results, this research suggests policy-makers to follow cooperative and flow-based governance rather than the placed-based or regional independent thinking that supports integrated sustainable development benefiting not only the two parties but also the overall global sustainability.

Stock market comovements: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic shock has harmed the US and East Asian stock markets. Focusing on measuring the inherent correlation, this paper employs a GARCH-Copula CoVaR approach to address the debate on the extreme risk spillovers from the US to China, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea stock returns. The results show a large spillover effect from the US to East Asian stock markets. Compared to the tranquil period, these spillovers become stronger in the COVID-19 period. The findings show that indirect spillovers on the Chinese stock market are heavier than direct spillovers, and impacts deluge only via Hong Kong. The study contrasts spillover' features of the US COVID-19 shock and the Chinese 2015 crisis. These findings provide useful support for policymakers and risk managers involved in the East Asian stock markets.

COSMO-CLM Regional Climate Simulations in the CORDEXframework: a review

Abstract: . In the last decade, the Climate Limited-area Modeling (CLM) Community has contributed to the Coordinated Re- gional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) with an extensive set of regional climate simulations. Using several versions of the COSMO-CLM community model, ERA-Interim reanalysis and eight Global Climate Models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) were dynamically downscaled with horizontal grid spacings of 0.44° (∼50 km), 0.22° (∼25 km) and 0.11° (∼12 km) over the CORDEX domains Europe, South Asia, East Asia, Australasia and Africa. This major effort resulted in 80 regional climate simulations publicly available through the Earth System Grid Fed- eration (ESGF) web portals for use in impact studies and climate scenario assessments. Here we review the production of these simulations and assess their results in terms of mean near-surface temperature and precipitation to aid the future design of the COSMO-CLM model simulations. It is found that a domain-specific parameter tuning is beneficial, while increasing horizontal model resolution (from 50 to 25 or 12 km grid spacing) alone does not always improve the performance of the simulation. Moreover, the COSMO-CLM performance depends on the driving data. This is generally more important than the dependence on horizontal resolution, model version and configuration. Our results emphasize the importance of performing regional climate projections in a coordinated way, where guidance from both the global (GCM) and regional (RCM) climate modelling communities is needed to increase the reliability of the GCM-RCM modelling chain.