Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decision to call a snap election delivered a historic landslide, reshaping Japan’s political landscape overnight. In this special episode, our executive producer steps in for Mira to introduce a conversation with TAG's outstanding Japan team. TAG Managing Partner Kurt Tong is joined by TAG Partner Chris Johnstone and TAG Vice President Yuka Hayashi to unpack why the victory was so decisive and what it enables. The conversation explores the market’s mixed reaction, the tough fiscal choices ahead, and how Takaichi’s mandate could affect defense spending, industrial policy, and economic inequality. The panel also looks outward—assessing implications for U.S.–Japan relations, China, Taiwan deterrence, and Japan’s role across the Indo‑Pacific as Tokyo navigates a moment of uncommon political strength.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

How does Narendra Modi view the world amidst a shifting global order? In this episode, Host Mira Rapp-Hooper speaks with TAG Partner and Chair of India Practice Ashok Malik about India’s rapidly evolving role in global affairs under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They unpack the newly announced U.S.-India trade agreement, India’s expanding economic partnerships with Europe, and the growing competitiveness shaping global supply chains. The conversation also explores India’s emerging leadership in technology and AI, including the significance of the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026. Against a backdrop of shifting U.S.-China dynamics and volatility in the Indo-Pacific, Malik offers a nuanced look at how Prime Minister Modi views the world and the strategic choices ahead. 

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

Is “the AI race” a myth? Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Colin Kahl argues that rather than a winner-take-all AI race, we’re heading for an AI bipolarity, where the U.S. leads in some aspects, like frontier models and AI as a Service (AIaaS), while China scales “good enough” infrastructure and robotics. Colin and Mira dig into compute politics – the Nvidia H200 decision, export controls, and the risk of a U.S.-enabled Chinese stack – and what enterprise adoption means for productivity and jobs. Finally, Colin shares his insights on the situation unfolding in and with Iran.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

After repeatedly reiterating his ambition to take over Greenland — the world's largest island, rich in strategic value and natural resources — for American national security interests, U.S. President Donald Trump shocked NATO allies by announcing new 10% tariffs on eight European countries that oppose him on the issue. But at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, Trump appeared to step back from any explicit military and tariff threats to Europe. 

 Join Host Mira Rapp-Hooper and TAG Senior Advisor Sophia Gaston as they break down Trump's Greenland strategy, explore its implications for transatlantic alliance, and unpack what it could mean for the global economy and business.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

In this timely conversation, economist Jason Furman charts the economic terrain after the United States’ “Liberation Day” tariff surge. Furman explains why the worst recession forecasts didn’t materialize: retaliation from allies was muted, some partners cut side deals to soften the blow, and trade reconfiguration simply takes time. Still, he warns the trade “shoe” is still dropping, with an enduring drag that leaves the U.S. roughly 0.5% poorer per year.

Looking ahead, Furman argues the biggest near-term risk for businesses is policy incoherence colliding with a split macro picture: strong headline GDP, weak job growth, and muddled inflation. He sees Congress asserting itself — most notably in defense of Federal Reserve independence — while the administration’s legal footing for tariffs faces an imminent test at the Supreme Court. If IEEPA is curtailed, expect administrative chaos, temporary stopgaps reasserting tariffs under other authorities (like Section 122), and — potentially — an offramp for the White House to lift the most unpopular tariffs without admitting error.

Globally, allies are doubling down on free-trade compacts with each other, even as they grapple with China’s overcapacity and “China shock 2.0.” Meanwhile, dollar dominance may be reinforced by the U.S.’s embrace of stablecoins. Furman closes with a strategic fork: a positive-sum, growth-first reset (more trade, smarter fiscal choices, tech-led productivity) versus a deepening “techlash” that scapegoats AI, risks slower wage gains, and cedes advantage to China. The stakes for business leaders in 2026 couldn't be higher.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

Host and TAG Partner Mira Rapp-Hooper senses we are living through the end of one era and the emergence of another. With U.S. leadership shifting, China fully risen, and technology transforming every domain, she argues that only by examining these geopolitical forces closely can we make smarter strategic and business decisions. Mira sits down with TAG Chairman & Co-Founder Kurt Campbell to parse through the shift to learn what comes next.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

The world order that defined the last three decades has unraveled. What replaces it will shape the future of business, technology, and power. In this podcast, Mira Rapp-Hooper explores the forces driving this transformation and their implications. Each episode pulls one thread of today’s geopolitical upheaval to reveal how governments and businesses are adapting, and what it means for you.

Mira brings a rare mix of policy experience and business insight. From senior roles at the White House to her current work at The Asia Group, she’s helped navigate the challenges of global competition. Now, she shares sharp, practical lessons drawn from her own experience and conversations with the world’s leading strategists.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.