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 MoreBy 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 MoreBy 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 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 MoreSanae 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 MoreBy 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 MoreTOKYO: Outside a train station near Tokyo, hundreds of people cheer as Sohei Kamiya, head of the surging nationalist party Sanseito, criticizes Japan’s rapidly growing foreign population. As opponents, separated by uniformed police and bodyguards, accuse him of racism, Kamiya shouts back, saying he is only talking common sense. Sanseito, while still a minor party, […]
Read MoreBy Maria Siow When Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on September 7 that he would step down after his party was trounced at the parliamentary polls earlier this year, the country was already staring at what could be an era of flux, marked by revolving door leaders who are slaves to approval ratings amid […]
Read MoreJapan’s Prime Minister told the United Nations yesterday (23 September) that Tokyo’s recognition of the State of Palestine was only a question of time, saying he was “indignant” at recent comments by Israeli officials. Nearly 80 per cent of UN members recognise the State of Palestine, with a string of countries including Britain, Canada and […]
Read MoreBy Julian Ryall Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he is expected to urge sweeping reform of the UN Security Council, which Tokyo has long criticised as “dysfunctional” and unfit for today’s world order. Ishiba left for New York […]
Read More
