Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has delivered her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections she called shortly after taking office. Now that she has consolidated her power in Japan’s legislature (called the Diet), the big question is what she will do with it. Since her ascent to the prime ministership in a parliamentary vote in October, the ultra conservative Takaichi has upended the normally staid Japanese political system. She has connected with younger voters like no other Japanese leader in recent history with her savvy…
Posts published in “Japan”
Japan’s first superconducting quantum computer designed and built entirely with components developed domestically began operating at the University of Osaka at the end of July. The new system uses a chip with superconducting quantum bits, derived from metals that exhibit negligible electrical resistance when cooled to temperatures near absolute zero. All the components, including the quantum processing unit developed at the Institute for Research in Physics and Chemistry (RIKEN), are housed in a cryogenic device that allows for extremely low temperatures. Developed in partnership with companies such as Fujitsu, the…
Trump’s Venezuela operation marks a move towards ‘Donroeism’ as the United States seeks to assert dominance over the Western Hemisphere. While this shift may create strategic space for China by reducing the likelihood of direct US–China confrontation, it is unlikely to directly trigger Chinese military action over Taiwan. Instead, a key determinant will be the credibility of the US response to a Taiwan contingency — which appears increasingly uncertain. While Japan remains dependent on the United States for its security, it could bolster regional stability by pursuing a more autonomous…
John Deere future generation excavators previously produced in Japan will be manufactured at a $70 million factory in North Carolina, the company said Tuesday. Kernersville, a Forsyth County community off Interstate 40 between Greensboro and Winston-Salem, will be the new home with an expected employment of 150 workers. In May 2024, county commissioners approved an incentive package for the company over five years valued at $944,006. At the time, average annual wages were projected to eclipse $64,000. Economists are historically skeptical on average wage comparisons because salaries of a few…
Less than four years after fleeing the 2022 Russian invasion and landing in Japan, Ukrainian sumo wrestler Danylo Yavhusishyn stands poised to become the first-ever European-born wrestler to be named a Yokozuna (Grand Champion), the highest ranking in the sport. In January, the 21-year-old won his second consecutive top-division title. Yavhusishyn was born in Vinnytsia in central Ukraine in 2004. His first glimpse of sumo wrestling came around 2010, when his mother was running late to pick him up from a judo lesson. As the boy waited, a sumo training…
Japan elevated its Silk Road diplomacy with Central Asia in 2025 by launching an AI cooperation partnership focused on governance, training and institution-building rather than infrastructure. By embedding AI into public administration, logistics and customs systems, Tokyo is reshaping how Central Asian states define efficiency, risk and compliance. The strategy offers capacity gains but risks entrenching external administrative frameworks. Japan introduced the notion of ‘Silk Road diplomacy’ in 1997 to describe its approach to cooperation with Central Asia. But Japan’s engagement with the region was only elevated to heads-of-state level…
In Brief. Japan’s alliance with the United States is under strain as Donald Trump’s embrace of a ‘might makes right’ worldview raises doubts about the credibility of the US security guarantees that have underpinned Japan’s postwar strategy. Despite increasing defence spending, Tokyo appears resigned to dependence on Washington, even as this risks leaving Japan caught between a weakened US commitment and a worsening relationship with China. Japan, alongside Australia, should respond by coordinating more active regional diplomacy through ASEAN and trade frameworks like the CPTPP to preserve cooperation and avoid…
In Brief. Japan’s February 2026 snap election reflects a political system increasingly shaped by tactical dissolutions rather than policy performance. While Takaichi’s high approval ratings explain their timing, frequent elections have entrenched perpetual campaigning, weakened democratic accountability and encouraged populist spending. Agendas like Sanaenomics risk failing if institutional instability continues to prevent sustained reform and long-term policy implementation. Japan’s general election has been called for 8 February 2026, just months after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office in October 2025. While Takaichi’s remarkably high cabinet approval ratings provide the tactical…
Eve Air Mobility, an Embraer subsidiary that develops electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced the sale of two vehicles to the Japanese company AirX, which operates in air transport and currently uses helicopters. The contract may be expanded, as it includes an option to purchase up to 50 units. With deliveries scheduled for 2029 and operations planned in Tokyo and Osaka as last-mile vehicles for tourist routes, the sale marks the company’s first in the Asia-Pacific region. Embraer and Eve are participating in the Singapore Airshow, one of…
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Japan and other “middle powers” must work together for a nuclear-free world based on the rule of law, in order to promote peace and prosperity in East Asia and on the global stage. This is a commitment shared with the Holy See, says Koji Abe, the new Ambassador of Japan to the Holy See, who began his service in December 2025.A career diplomat since 1987, Abe has served in Canada, the United States, France, and in Madagascar and the Comoros (2022–2025). Below is the text…