Some young Japanese are losing their taste for adventure. Fewer and fewer are going abroad to study or take vacations. Their generation is getting a reputation for being inward-looking, but one Japanese manga artist is trying to change that mindset. Misako Rocks made her name in New York and is one of the few Japanese to break through in the United States with English-language manga. But she is hoping to encourage young people in her home country to get out into the world.

Defense Ministers and military chiefs from the Asia Pacific are meeting in Singapore over the weekend to discuss the region's most pressing security issues. The Asia Security Summit, better known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, will have a great influence on stability in the region. This year's talks are taking place at a crucial time with territorial disputes heating up.