Refuel row: Japan rescinds airbase access to South Korean jets over Dokdo islets dispute
By Julian Ryall Tokyo has rescinded a plan to allow South Korean military jets to refuel at a base in Okinawa after learning the aircraft had recently flown near contested islets in the Sea of Japan, a revelation that triggered nationalist anger and concerns about the political risks of closer defence ties between the uneasy […]
Read MoreJapan’s PM says no plan to renegotiate $550 billion investment package with US
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Saturday (1 November) that she had no plans to renegotiate a $550 billion investment package deal reached with the United States. “I believe that even if the prime minister changes, promises made between governments should not be altered,” Takaichi told reporters at the end of a week of […]
Read MoreJapan’s Takaichi faces early test of defence ambitions with Trump visit
Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi’s new hardline coalition partner unshackles her security ambitions and gives US President Donald Trump room to press for military spending, but her fragile government may put a brake on what she can do. Takaichi, an admirer of conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was sworn in on Tuesday as head of […]
Read MoreJapan’s new PM talks up ties with South Korea but her past casts a long shadow
By Julian Ryall As Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, she wasted no time extending an olive branch to South Korea, calling it an “important neighbour” and praising its culture. But how long will the goodwill last? Concerns linger in South Korea that Takaichi, known for her nationalist leanings, may eventually adopt a […]
Read MoreJapan’s Nobel wins shine light on worrying brain drain, especially to ‘generous’ China
By Julian Ryall Japan’s scientific community is celebrating two Nobel wins this week, but the accolades have also reignited concern over the country’s ability to retain its top researchers amid growing competition from overseas. The wins have renewed scrutiny of the country’s research system, with observers citing poor funding, job insecurity and rigid institutions as […]
Read MoreJapan’s Takaichi eyes expanding coalition
Japan’s incoming new prime minister Sanae Takaichi has approached an opposition party with a view to expanding the governing coalition to give it a working majority in parliament, reports said Tuesday. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its longstanding junior partner Komeito have been in a minority in the lower and upper chambers since recent […]
Read MoreFrom heavy metal drummer to Japan’s first female PM in waiting: Who is Sanae Takaichi?
Sanae Takaichi came out top in a male-dominated race to lead Japan’s ruling party on Saturday, putting her on course to emulate her hero, former British leader Margaret Thatcher, and become her country’s first female prime minister. The fiscal dove’s surprise victory may jolt investor confidence in one of the world’s most indebted economies, while […]
Read MoreJapanese politician’s call to remove Yasukuni’s war criminals sparks right-wing anger
By Julian Ryall A leading contender to become Japan’s next prime minister has sparked backlash from conservatives after suggesting the removal of Class A war criminals from the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, a “bold” idea that analysts say could help repair strained ties with neighbouring countries over Tokyo’s wartime history. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the chief cabinet secretary […]
Read MoreWhere is Japan’s EEZ? Tokyo’s complaint over Chinese survey ship marks unresolved issue
By Julian Ryall A new diplomatic protest from Tokyo over suspected marine surveys by a Chinese vessel in contested waters has renewed focus on a long-standing unresolved issue: the lack of agreement between Japan and China on their maritime boundaries in the East China Sea. At the centre of the row is a clash of […]
Read MoreJapanese flock to Hong Kong, lured by nostalgic, ‘kawaii’ appeal of pandas, Labubu
By Julian Ryall The number of Japanese travellers to Hong Kong jumped more than 32 per cent for the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2024, an encouraging sign of recovery for tourism authorities in the Chinese city seeking to draw more visitors from the Land of the Rising Sun. […]
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